For suspect and probable COVID-19 patients who cannot self-isolate at home because of space restrictions, existing structures in the community can be optimized, repurposed, and retrofitted into temporary isolation facilities.

Possible sites to be considered are those that are covered structures with access to critical utilities like power, water sanitation, and plumbing. The most common facilities in our communities that meet these requirements are schools, churches, private establishments (i.e., hotels), multi-purpose halls, and basketball courts. 

In keeping with our belief in philanthropic and patriotic architecture in times of crisis, we at Palafox Associates and Palafox Architecture Group have prepared a full design manual that can retrofit and convert a basketball court or a 392 sqm (14m x 28m) semi-covered facility into a community-based isolation unit that can provide basic accommodation and valuable health care. Using infection prevention and control principles, we were able to design this with hospital managers, health systems professionals, emergency and disasters experts, and graduate students from the Asian Institute of Management Masters in Innovation and Business (AIM MSIB).

We hope our architectural design for the COVID CENTERS will help decongest hospitals and help our nation in the fight against this pandemic.