SHELTERED SIGHTLINES: SPACE TAILORED FOR THOSE WITH PSYCHOSIS AND SCHIZOPHRENIA

 

THE SITE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE ISSUE

 

CONCEPT STATEMENT

Early studies into the benefits of outdoor spaces for those with psychosis (and more specifically, schizophrenia) suggest that gardens, especially those focused on communal, productive gardening, can assist in the social, emotional and cognitive development and recovery of these patients. 

On a disused site less than 100m from the Psychosis Research Program at UBC Hospital’s Detwiller Pavilion, could the construction of a purpose-built garden for the treatment of those patients allow for this research to be continued?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE HEALING

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SHELTERED SIGHTLINES

 

THE SITE

 

THE ISSUE

CONTEXT DIAGRAM WITH REFERENCES

• Horticultural therapy can provide therapeutic benefits to psychosis (namely schizophrenic) patients
• Aids in cognitive, social and emotional development
• Most well studied forms of horticultural therapy for psychosis involve communal, engaged and productive gardening
• Fruit and vegetable cultivation, harvesting, preparation, storage, and consumption in safe, comfortable environments encourages socialization
• Avoid structures, vegetation, topographies and trajectories that may be construed as threatening or potentially concealing (i.e dense or extremely varied)
• Maintain open, permeable sightlines
• Provision of shade due to sensitivity to sunlight

 

THE HEALING

INSERT NEW SECTION 1 HERE

INSERT NEW SECTION 2 HERE

PLANTING PALETTE/MICROPALETTES TO BE AMENDED

ADDITIONAL PERSPECTIVES HERE

 

EARLY PLANTING IDEATION

PLANTING TOPOGRAPHY REQUIREMENTS

Because of the fairly strict limitations to vegetated (or non-vegetated) structure with a garden for those suffering from psychosis/schizophrenia, I thought it appropriate to establish a visual representation of those requirements.

PLANTING PLAN

1:100

1:250

EXISTING TOPOGRAPHY, 1:250

FORM BUILDING MODEL, 1:100

Used to explore height and configuration of mounds to ensure good visibility across and through the site. 

Sound baffling within this garden is necessary, to shield it from the traffic noise coming from Wesbrook Mall and Agronomy Road.  This in the context of the medical issue’s constraints is a bit of a challenge, as large earthen mounds, dense vegetation, and/or solid walls are not compatible.

What sort of structure can moderate sound intrusion, while allowing (relatively speaking) good visibility, and a sense of security and privacy in the garden?

WALL ITERATIONS

 

 

Last round of small iterations as the final plan is refined.  Most of this work is engaged with the details of the site; how curves and corners behave, how slight adjustments to the placement of beds may improve the design, etc.

MICROITERATION FOR ENTRANCE BED

THIRD DRAFT PLAN

ITERATIONS OFF THIRD DRAFT PLANFINAL DESIGN, READY FOR DIGITIZATION

 

A battery of continued iteration, both small and large, in response to feedback on the pair of plans previously shown.  These iterations were loose, laterally exploring alternative means of rearranging and reorganizing the site, while still meeting the needs of psychosis and schizophrenia patients.

First, known and required areas (in a variety of forms) were laid out.  Then, these forms were broken, divided and reassembled by overlaying patterns and networks. The programming remains unchanged; abundant communal and socialization space, large areas devoted to productive, engaged gardening, indoor/outdoor kitchen, ample pathways and routes for groups of individuals, provision of shade, and clear sightlines with visually permeable vegetation.

“POSTAGE STAMP” LANDSCAPES

1:100 LOOSE ITERATIONS AND EXPLORATIONS

SECOND DRAFT PLAN

1:100 SECTIONS

INVESTIGATING CIRCULATION