A diary in progress – which is partly written in Sudan and partly in Italy – by  which the author rethink his experience of architect who has designed on behalf of Emergency the sole heart surgery centre existing  today in Africa. This centre offer free health care within an area of millions sq.km. and to people of ten nations.
Pantaleo explains how a planner can design on a background of hunger,  death, war and inhospitable nature. Working in a desert area that has been tormented for decades by civil war, demanded innovating design concepts, both from a practical and a theoretical point of view, and a reconsideration of ethical principles that should be the foundation of architectural design. Emergency's "Salam Centre" –  as it is shown in the set of illustrations included in the book – becomes an evidence of another world possible, where, in spite of war, suffering,  and misery, one can claim the right for everybody to free health care  in comfortable and "outrageously beautiful" facilities – a sign of hope for today and an utopia suggested for tomorrow.  .

Raul Pantaleo (Milan 1962), architect and designer, the founder of  Studio Tamassociati in  Venice, carries out his professional activity in the field of shared bio-ecological design and social communication, and co-operates with different NGOs, including Emergency and Banca Etica.