Edirne Kesan State Hospital

Prota’s expertise in seismic engineering is evident in their work on the seismic isolated structure design of Edirne Kesan State Hospital, the first hospital with insulators built in the Thrace region of Turkey. With a capacity of 150 patient beds, the hospital was designed with a seismic isolation system to ensure it can be used immediately after an earthquake. Elastomer-based rubber seismic devices were used in the design to achieve this.

Given the complexity of mechanical and electrical installations in hospitals, the structural design of the building incorporated beams only in the external perimeter to allow for flexibility and optimal use of floor height. This decision led to the use of a flat slab system (beamless) in the interior of the building, preventing obstruction for AC ducts, fire-fighting ducts, electric ducts, etc.

The earthquake isolation system of the building is placed on two separate levels. Some of the insulators are positioned directly above the raft foundation, while the rest are placed on the columns on the ceiling of the basement floor. Prota also provided consultancy during the installation of the seismic isolator system, especially for the placement of the first few isolators, ensuring the system’s effectiveness and the hospital’s safety.