In response to the emerging national discussion on fixing the U.S. health care system, this studio was challenged to innovate new healthcare facilities for millions of medically disenfranchised Americans, in an environment of physician and nursing shortages and inadequate funding. The studio explored the concepts of medically underserved areas (MUAs), physician shortages, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), and the expectation that federally-sponsored health centers play a critical role in emergencies.

In the last 10 years, southern Louisiana has been directly affected by two of the worst environmental disasters of ourtime: Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, and the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in May 2010. While these river communities are still rebuilding from the last hurricane and preparing for the next, they nowface oily shores and ruined livelihoods. As this region remains in the national spotlight, this studio responded to their needs with innovative yet feasible designs to help restore this underserved population.

Specifically, this project addressed the lack of reliable healthcare in Plaquemines Parish. This scheme is based on the understanding that to serve the entire parish, the health clinics must be mobile. With fixed docking sites at three different points along the Mississippi River, the barge clinics plug in to create a complete healthcare complex, or operateas in independent unit in emergency situations. These components intend to connect people to heathcare; waterto land; and community to community.

Having spent 4 months volunteering in the neighboring St. Bernard's Parish, I was able to contribute a bit of first-hand knowledge about the southern Louisiana culture. However, this was my first health-related design challenge, which inevitably led to discussions of the influence of social factors, including poverty, racial inequality, and distrust of government.

Credits: Eva Peterson & Kent Wu