Clinic design by Amanda Martocchio Architecture.

We are delighted to share that Clinica Verde’s collaboration with Amanda Martocchio Architecture on a health clinic prototype for rural Nicaraguan communities has received an American Institute of Architects Design Award from AIA Connecticut! The project was fueled by the vision, passion and commitment of the team at Amanda Martocchio Architecture, Clinica Verde staff, and the communities we serve.

“We are thrilled that our architecture studio has received this design award for the design of the Las Lagunas puesto de salud,” says architect Amanda Martocchio. “However, what makes the honor truly gratifying is that we think of it not as recognition of a product of our design so much as a recognition of the process involving

many collaborators across many miles who helped to make the design a built reality. It took Las Lagunas community members sharing with us their concerns and dreams for the health post, and it took the amazing staff at Clinica Verde—Yolanda, Rafael, Mary Elizabeth, and others – working with Boaco’s Department of Construction and community members; it took the local construction team committed to ‘green building,’ and it took the leadership of theBoard of Directors of Clinica Verde and Founder Susan Dix Lyons recognizing that design can tackle tough problems.”

We are humbled and honored.

The effort was supported by and in partnership with the Ministry of Health of Nicaragua. The project goal was to develop a replicable “puesto de salud” (health post) prototype based on local building materials and methods, with details that could be adapted to different rural sites in Nicaragua. The first implementation site was Las Lagunas, in the department of Boaco. The design team met with residents and listened to their input, which informed everything from programmatic layout to paint colors, bio-intensive community gardening, and incorporating local symbols into the design. You can see more here: Las Lagunas Puesto de Salud.

Congrats to all who contributed to this project. And a huge thanks to you, our supporters, who make everything possible.

CV Director Yolanda Paredes-Gaitan at the ribbon-cutting for the health post in Las Lagunas.