IN CÔTE D’IVOIRE, KARDHAM TO REBUILD A HOSPITAL SHOWCASE OF MODERNITY

A Hub Hospital for Greater Abidjan

Port-Bouët General Hospital occupies a strategic position within the healthcare landscape of the Abidjan metropolitan area. Ideally located in Port-Bouët, at the southern gateway to Abidjan, it is the main public hospital for this densely populated district, at the crossroads of Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport, industrial and port zones, and several rapidly growing working-class and residential neighborhoods.

The facility represents a vital access point to hospital care for an estimated population of over 500,000 residents in the municipality and surrounding areas. It also acts as an operational relay for the Treichville and Cocody University Hospitals, which are under constant pressure, particularly in emergency, maternity, and surgical services. The hospital handles 10,000 births per year and more than 12,000 annual emergency visits, under conditions that have become increasingly difficult due to fragmented buildings and functional limitations linked to the obsolescence of existing facilities.

In this context, rebuilding the hospital is a national healthcare and political priority. The project aims to restore public confidence in state-run hospitals by offering a safe, efficient, and welcoming care environment, while strengthening Greater Abidjan’s healthcare resilience in the face of demographic, climatic, and epidemiological challenges.

A Landmark Project of Modernity

The future hospital stands out through an international and legible architectural expression, symbolizing modernity for Côte d’Ivoire. Compact, functional, and clearly identifiable as a healthcare facility, it is conceived as a flagship project reflecting the country’s ability to deliver high-quality hospital care and to be recognized as an international-standard hospital.

The architectural concept integrates: a double-skin main façade that shelters pedestrian circulation and optimizes thermal comfort; clearly separated patient, staff, and logistics flows for improved efficiency; and a compact main building design enabling phased reconstruction without interrupting medical activity.

A Two-Phase Reconstruction

The reconstruction has been designed in two major phases to ensure continuity of care.

First, a 9,900 m² two-storey main building (ground floor + 1) will be constructed on an undeveloped area of the site, bringing together the technical platform and inpatient accommodation. This new building will include 200 beds and state-of-the-art facilities such as operating and obstetric suites, emergency department, medical imaging, laboratories, pharmacy, sterilization unit, as well as a morgue and staff housing.

In the second phase, once the new building is operational, the existing obsolete pavilions will be demolished to make way for ancillary services (admissions, morgue, staff housing, places of worship – church and mosque –, NGO spaces, etc.). Ultimately, the total site area will reach approximately 11,000 m².

This phasing strategy addresses another major challenge of the project: rebuilding a modern hospital while maintaining hospital operations on site. The project is therefore being carried out on an occupied site, requiring precise and progressive organization to ensure continuity of care.

A Hospital Designed to Last

Mindful of local climatic constraints, particularly those related to the coastal environment, Kardham has prioritized durable materials and technical solutions (HVAC and air treatment systems) ensuring the long-term performance of the building and installations beyond 10 years. This focus on construction quality meets the requirements for durability and efficiency of Ivorian healthcare infrastructures.

« This project embodies our ambition to combine architectural quality, functionality, and sustainability to support the transformation of healthcare infrastructures in West Africa. Port-Bouët General Hospital is intended as a true showcase of hospital modernity—both resilient and open to its territory—capable of addressing today’s and tomorrow’s healthcare challenges. This project also marks a key milestone in Kardham’s international expansion and illustrates the Group’s proven expertise in designing high-performance medico-social facilities adapted to their context», says Romuald Dobrzynski, Associate Architect associé, Kardham Group