Gamma Project - Health and maternity clinic
In 2012, the Architecture and Facility Management departments at Anhalt University of Applied Sciences launched the "Gamma Project" in Guatemala as part of their international UNITY program. In partnership with the non-profit Mirador e.V.—founded by university alumni and staff to support ongoing student-led development initiatives—the project focused on designing, funding, and constructing a health and maternity clinic in the remote mountain village of Chocruz, near Momostenango.
This region, home to a predominantly indigenous Maya population, suffers from severe infrastructural neglect and limited access to healthcare. Prior to the project, the nearest medical facility was a two-hour walk away, making healthcare—especially maternal care—largely inaccessible. High birth rates, lack of medical supervision, and significant cultural and language barriers contributed to elevated maternal and infant mortality.
The Gamma Project addressed these urgent needs by providing essential healthcare infrastructure, empowering the local community, and offering Anhalt University students valuable hands-on experience in international, socially-engaged design-build practice.
Images and Plans
Technical Description
The Gamma Project, realized by an interdisciplinary team from Anhalt University of Applied Sciences in 2012, addressed urgent healthcare needs in the remote Maya community of Chocruz, Guatemala. The project involved the design and construction of a 158 m² health and maternity clinic, providing examination rooms, a delivery suite, consultation spaces, storage, and sanitary facilities. The building was designed for functionality, durability, and cultural sensitivity, using local materials and construction methods to ensure climate resilience and ease of maintenance.
Planning spanned twelve months, followed by a six-month construction phase involving 22 students on-site. Extensive preliminary work included site surveys, material research, and community engagement, with key partnerships established with local organizations and the medical faculty of the University of Quetzaltenango. Students from Rhine-Waal University contributed a sustainable wastewater system and supported organizational aspects.
The €43,166 project budget was funded through university support, student contributions, private and corporate donations, grants, and extensive student fundraising, reflecting strong community and institutional commitment. The German Embassy in Guatemala provided all medical equipment, while collaboration with local schools and NGOs ensured the clinic’s integration into the community.
Supervised by Prof. Dr. Claus Dießenbacher and coordinated by Dipl.-Ing. Carola Rauch and Dipl.-Ing. Sebastian Opp, the Gamma Project exemplifies hands-on, socially engaged architectural education and sustainable development in an international context.