Kéré Architecture has unveiled designs for the Ineza Clinic, a new healthcare center in Burundi’s Bubanza region, about 40 kilometers north of the capital, Bujumbura. Commissioned by the NGO Ineza Clinic, the facility aims to improve access to maternal and surgical care for the region’s rural population.
Inspired by the Léo Surgical Clinic and Health Centre in Burkina Faso, completed by Kéré Architecture in 2014, the clinic will offer essential services including safe deliveries, C-sections, and specialized surgeries. Construction has already begun, with the first phase of buildings scheduled for completion in summer 2026.
Birthing Unit Exterior View Render © Kéré Architecture.
To address local constraints such as limited infrastructure and high fuel costs, the design relies on regionally sourced materials and local expertise. Foundations and retaining walls are built with white and red granite from nearby quarries, while clay bricks fired within 30 kilometers of the site form walls and perforated screens. Local builders and craftsmen work closely with Kéré Architecture, refining construction methods developed over years of experience.
Outpatient Unit Exterior View Render © Kéré Architecture.
The master plan consists of ten pavilions connected by a zigzagging road up the hillside, separating public areas from clinical spaces. Buildings are oriented to maximize natural cross-ventilation and minimize excavation, preserving the landscape. Maternal care and outpatient facilities feature shaded waiting areas and integrated bench alcoves, while ventilated roofs manage heavy seasonal rainfall. Surgical wards provide views of the surrounding landscape, and chimneys enable natural stack ventilation throughout.
Ineza Clinic Model © Kéré Architecture.
Eva Weissman, founder of the Ineza Clinic, explains the project’s impact: “Women in Burundi face a 1-in-57 lifetime risk of dying in pregnancy or childbirth. This clinic will provide affordable, high-quality care that would otherwise be inaccessible. We are deeply grateful to Francis Kéré for creating a facility that is both architecturally inspiring and life-saving.”
Diébédo Francis Kéré adds, “In a place where traveling less than forty kilometers can take up to three hours, having a clinic nearby is vital. This project is about more than architecture—it’s about survival and dignity for the community.”
Surgical Ward Interior View Render © Kéré Architecture.
The project will be delivered in two phases: the first half of the buildings will open in summer 2026, with the remainder completed in 2027. The Ineza Clinic builds on Kéré Architecture’s experience in healthcare design, including the Léo Surgical Clinic and Health Centre and the Centre for Health and Social Welfare in Burkina Faso.
Cover image: Outpatient Unit and Pharmacy Exterior View Render © Kéré Architecture
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