Kuhlonishwe Isakhiwo i-K-RITH Tower KuZwelonke

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Isakhiwo I-K-RITH Tower esiseNyuvesi YakwaZulu-Natal ekhempasini i-Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine ithole umklomelo wokuhlonishwa ku-South African Institute of Architects (i-SAIA) Awards.

Leli bhilidi, elakhiwa yi-FGG Architects, liklonyeliswe nge-Corobrik-SAIA Award of Merit emcimbini wakusihlwa we-SAIA. Lokhu kulandela ukuphumelela kwalelibhilidi esifundeni ngo-2017.

Yaziwa njengesezingeni eliphezulu kakhulu imiklomelo yokwenza kahle ekhishwa i-SAIA kwezokwakha futhi yahlulelwa yithimba lamajaji kazwelonke. Phakathi kwabaphumelela esifundeni abangenela lo mncintiswano kazwelonke abangama-61, abahlanu bathola izincomo, abangama-24 bathola imiklomelo yokwenza kahle, kanti abayisithupha bathola imiklomelo yokwenza kahle kakhulu.

I-African Health Research Institute (i-AHRI) iyona ezinze e-K-RITH Tower Building. Lesi sikhungo sinamalebhu asezingeni eliphezulu ezwenikazi lase Africa, lapho ososayensi besebenzela ukwazi kangcono, baphathe baphinde bathole ikhambi le-HIV, isifo sofuba kanye nezifo ezihambisana nalezi. Ilebhu esezingeni eliphezulu ye-AHRI ifaka 600m² ye-biosafety izinga lesi-3 (i-BSL-3) isikhala esivumela abacwaningi ukuba basebenze ngokuphepha uma mesebenza ngezifo ezitholakala emoyeni njenge-TB. Leli bhilidi elinezitezi eziyisishagalombili liphinde lifake ezinye izikhungo zocwaningo lohlobo lwe-biomedical.

Indawo yangaphansi kulelibhilidi inezikhala ezenza imisebenzi eminingi ehlukahlukene njengamagumbi okufunda kanye nesitolo sekhofi. Isitezi sesibili sihlala I-CAPRISA kanye ne-AHRI. Amalebhu e-AHRI wona atholakala esitezi sesine kuya kwesesikhombisa. Isitezi esiphezulu esokusebenza. Uphahla oluseceleni lwe-four-storey high atrium owokuhlonipha umbhali wase-US ongumxhasi, u-Howard Hughes (1905-1976), osikolo esibizwa ngaye i-Howard Hughes Medical Institute yaxhasa ukwakhiwa kwebhilidi.

Umdwebi ongusaziwayo eNingizimu Afrika, uNks Jane du Rand, wadweba umdwebo ovelele osodongweni olungaphandle, iphansi le-atrium kanye ne-stairwell lubonakalisa umsebenzi owenzeka ngaphakathi kwibhilidi. Lo mdwebi wakhuthazwa izimpawu zokuphilisa zamasiko ahlukahlukene, wabheka isakhiwo sezifo, ama-blood cells kanye namagciwane. Izitshalo zemvelo ezilaphayo nazo ziyinxenye yalemidwebo.

‘Siyakuqonda okusimele kanye nokuqinisekisa ukuthi indawo yabasebenzi nesisebenzisana nabo iphephile, iyahlonishwa futhi kuyasebenzeka kuyona. Ibhilidi le-KRITH yilapho ucwaningo olusha lwezezempilo lenzelwa khona futhi siyaziqhenya kakhulu ngokuhlonishwa,’ kusho uSolwazi Busisiwe Ncama, Iphini LeSekelashansela Lezifundo ZezeMpilo.

UMphathi Wezabasebenzi Omkhulu we-AHRI, uMnu Costas Criticos, uthe ukuphumelela kwesakhiwo se-K-RITH ye-AHRI kumele kubongwe abakhi abasebenze ngokuzikhandla ngesikhathi sezingxoxo phakathi kwe-AHRI ne-FGG. Ugqozi lokwenza lesakhiwo lathathwa ezakhiweni ezihamba phambili zaphesheya. ‘Kusukela ekuqaleni, umsebenzi we-K-RITH Tower Building wawuhlelwe ngokucophelela kwakhiwa kuhloswe ukuthi ibhilidi likwazi ukumelana nezimo ezifana nokuzamazama komhlaba nokuthi likwazi ukuvikela abacwaningi kanye nomphakathi wasekhempasini ezifweni eziyingozi'. 

UCriticos uphinde wathi nakuba lilihle ibhilidi, konke okukulona kwakucatshangisisiwe futhi nokusebenza kwalo kukwazi ukwenza ucwaningo lwesayensi ye-TB kanye ne-HIV. ‘Ngiyaziqhenya kakhulu ngokusebenza kuleli bhilidi elisezingeni eliphakeme, okuyisakhiwo esihlanganisa ikhempasi kanti futhi siyinike nesithunzi'. 

Umnu Patric Hathorn wase-FGG Architects uthe inkampani iyaziqhenya ngokwakha i-K-RITH Tower Building, waphinde wathi kuyajabulisa ukubongwa. ‘Kuyajabulisa ukwakha isakhiwo esesiguqule isikole sezobudokotela e-UKZN ekade singabukeki, esidala saguqulelwa kulokhu okuyisona manje. Ngaphandle kwezinkinga eziningi ezibangwa ukuntuleka kwendawo engayinhle kahle, leli bhilidi elakhiwe ngobungoti nobuchwepheshe obuyisimanga likwazile ukwakha isikhala esengeziwe ekhempasini, senza indawo kanokusho ezolekelela ukuxazulula izinkinga ezibhekene nabantu,’ usho kanje.

I-SAIS ivulelwe wonke umuntu oyilunga le-SAIA kuzwelonke, imiklomelo yesifunda yethulwa ekuqaleni konyaka bese i-Corobrik-SAIA Awards Excellence and Merit yenzeka ngonyaka olandelayo.

Amagama: uPhumla Ngcobo kanye no Hannah Keal

Isithombe: Supplied by AHRI