With water becoming a scarce commodity, rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems in all structures have become the need of the hour. And no wonder climate-conscious designs are now making a mark. Friendship hospital, a hospital built with locally made bricks in rural Bangladesh with its own zigzagging canal has been named the best new building in the world, winning the prestigious RIBA international prize 2021.Rainwater harvesting is making a big impact on the global scene. Sensing the need of the hour, architects and builders are now highlighting the rainwater harvesting systems in their design. The availability of trendy and novel rainwater harvesting products is also one of the reasons. AquaStar, a leader in rainwater harvesting solutions has revolutionized the RWH industry in India. With more than 30 years of experience, the R & D focussed company has designed and built innovative rainwater harvesting products after carefully analyzing and overcoming gaps found in the locally used products.
The science behind the design of the Friendship Hospital
Located in Satkhira in southwestern Bangladesh, the area is rich in water. However, rising sea levels caused by the climate crisis have transformed the lush greenfields into shrimp fisheries, while the groundwater has become too saline to use for most purposes.
In the rainy season, locals do everything they can to collect and store every drop of rainwater. With this focus on their mind, the architects have designed the building to be a machine for rainwater harvesting, with every roof and courtyard surface draining into the central canal, which runs into two different storage tanks that are located at two sides of the site.
The canal zigzags its way through the site, collecting valuable rainwater and helping to cool the surrounding courtyards during the sweltering summer months. The canal also serves as a fence between the inpatient and outpatient departments, separating the two sides of the site without the need for a dividing wall.