![Woldyia Maternity Center / Vilalta Studio - Image 1 of 22](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5990/f43c/b22e/382f/f400/015b/newsletter/woldyia-vilalta-02.jpg?1502671918)
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Architects: Vilalta Studio
- Area: 800 m²
- Year: 2017
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Photographs:Gonzalo Guajardo
![Woldyia Maternity Center / Vilalta Studio - Exterior Photography](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5990/f52f/b22e/382f/f400/0160/newsletter/woldyia-vilalta-05.jpg?1502672157)
Text description provided by the architects. The project is located at the entrance of the hospital compound in the city of Woldya, in the north east of Ethiopia.
![Woldyia Maternity Center / Vilalta Studio - Exterior Photography, Brick, Facade](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5990/f4d1/b22e/382f/f400/015d/newsletter/woldyia-vilalta-04.jpg?1502672063)
A key decision of the project was to divide it into two areas that share the same entrance space: the functional maternity unit and the mothers’ waiting area, a new program born as a result of the sociological analysis of the site. This is a space where future mothers coming from rural areas can live in an environment where they can feel comfortable two weeks before they give birth.
![Woldyia Maternity Center / Vilalta Studio - Exterior Photography](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5990/f79f/b22e/38d0/4800/04fa/newsletter/woldyia-vilalta-09.jpg?1502672781)
The first one, the functional and operational medical space, is composed of three rectangular volumes that are connected by a central corridor. The three volumes compose the different areas of the maternity unit: Reception, Patient, and Operation areas.
![Woldyia Maternity Center / Vilalta Studio - Interior Photography](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5990/f6fd/b22e/382f/f400/016a/newsletter/woldyia-vilalta-07.jpg?1502672619)
![Woldyia Maternity Center / Vilalta Studio - Image 20 of 22](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5990/f311/b22e/38d0/4800/04e4/newsletter/woldyia-vilalta-plan_02.jpg?1502671604)
![Woldyia Maternity Center / Vilalta Studio - Image 3 of 22](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5990/f8f8/b22e/382f/f400/0174/newsletter/woldyia-vilalta-14.jpg?1502673131)
These are separated from each other to bring light inside the main corridor. The design of the façade includes cultural references on the window grills that are shaped using a traditional Ethiopian pattern. The open air reception takes advantage of the outdoor space and climate and aims to integrate the community into the building.
![Woldyia Maternity Center / Vilalta Studio - Exterior Photography](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5990/f42a/b22e/38d0/4800/04eb/newsletter/woldyia-vilalta-03.jpg?1502671891)
The second one, the mother’s waiting area, is inspired by the tukuls, the traditional Ethiopian huts and it is composed by circular volumes organized by a similar pattern. Like a big house for new mothers, it has a day area composed by an open air living room with a kitchen and a night area with five bedrooms and toilets.
![Woldyia Maternity Center / Vilalta Studio - Image 8 of 22](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5990/f825/b22e/38d0/4800/04ff/newsletter/woldyia-vilalta-11.jpg?1502672917)
![Woldyia Maternity Center / Vilalta Studio - Interior Photography](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5990/f8a5/b22e/38d0/4800/0503/newsletter/woldyia-vilalta-13.jpg?1502673042)
All the interior spaces of the maternity ward have natural ventilation and illumination. For the construction, we used a lightweight concrete prefab system for the hospital unit combined with pine wood on the facade and steel structure with bamboo for the mothers’ homes.
![Woldyia Maternity Center / Vilalta Studio - Image 7 of 22](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/5990/f786/b22e/38d0/4800/04f9/newsletter/woldyia-vilalta-08.jpg?1502672759)