Solar-Powered Salam Cardiac Centre is a Shipping Container Medical Facility in Sudan

The <a href="http://www.salamcentre.emergency.it/" target="_blank">Salam Cardiac Surgery Centre</a> is more than just a life-saving medical facility - it's also powered by the sun and built from discarded <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/cargotecture" target="_blank">shipping containers</a>. Located near the Nile River in Khartoum, Sudan, the facility is equipped with top-notch surgery rooms, diagnostic labs and more. The fact that it's built from old shipping containers makes it even more impressive - and <a href="http://www.tamassociati.org/PAGES/archituttiEN.html" target="_blank">TAMassociati Architecture</a> should be proud of their accomplishment. The project was recently shortlisted for the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/shortlist-for-the-2013-aga-khan-award-for-architecture-announced/" target="_blank">2013 Aga Khan Architecture Award</a>.

The Salam Centre has been offering up free pediatric and adult cardiac health care since 2007 and is run by the Italian humanitarian organization <a href="http://www.emergency.it/sudan/index.html" target="_blank">EMERGENCY</a>.

During the design phase, <a href="http://www.tamassociati.org/PAGES/archituttiEN.html" target="_blank">TAMassociati Architecture</a> noticed discarded shipping containers around the site of the soon to be hospital.

Taking this as inspiration, they reused the containers to build the facility, which includes a hospital block, a cafeteria, and staff accommodations.

The cafeteria makes use of seven 40-ft containers and the housing uses ninety 20-ft containers.

Each room uses 1.5 <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/shipping-containers" target="_blank">shipping containers</a> and includes bathroom and small veranda facing the garden.

Lush gardens and courtyards are integrated throughout the complex to create a tranquil setting for patients, family and hospital staff.

The facility is kept cool with a 'onion system' comprised of 5-cm of insulating panels and an outer skin made up of a ventilated metal roof and bamboo blinds.

An on-site solar farm generates hot water for the entire complex.

The shade screens were hand woven.

Site plan of the Salam Cardiac Surgery Centre.