ATMOSPHERE: A REHABILITATION FACILITY EXPLORING THE MARRIAGE OF SETTING AND MEDIUM

Abstract

People are influenced by the atmosphere, ambience and feel of a space. These intangibles can generate moods and evoke certain emotional response. Architecture can manipulate the character of elements to create an atmospheric quality in spaces. The marriage of setting and medium will create environments that speak to human emotions. Architecture becomes a stage for the drama of natural elements and materials. The generated atmosphere is an offspring of the static materials and the dynamic natural elements. It can induce a sense of serenity which has the ability to alter the mood of the users. This thesis will explore the association of user, space and atmosphere. There is a general disconnection with nature. The more advanced our technologies get, the more distant we become from nature. Not only are humans sustained by nature but they are also dependent upon it emotionally. This relationship has weakened over time as technology, which has not only brought us closer together but has somehow made us distant from our surroundings. On one hand the new technologies in architecture and the new materials have brought us closer to the vision of future but at the same time they have a very dysfunctional relationship with nature. There seems to be a lack of communication between the medium and the setting. People revert back to nature when they need an escape from their daily life. A lot of free time, holidays and recreational activities revolve around nature. There is a direct influence of nature on human emotions, amongst many is the therapeutic effect it has on human minds. For centuries nature has been utilized for therapeutic purposes. It can heal a person at both physical and mental level. Considering the program of therapy, the mental healing capability of nature becomes important. Many people in our society are seeking therapy for various issues. The Therapy being provided is as significant as the setting where it is being administered. By designing spaces that have a therapeutic atmosphere, these people have a better chance of a quicker recovery in order for them to be able to become independent, functioning members of society. Therapy can also be provided by exploring the emotive quality of space. There is a need for a rehabilitation facility that fulfills these spatial therapeutic requirements. The existing facilities in Islamabad and Rawalpindi are plugged in with a hospital and fail to provide the adequate environment necessary for mental healing. Hundreds of patients visit therapists in hospitals and clinics present in high stress environments which could potentially worsen the situation. This thesis will attempt to examine the union between medium (natural elements), canvas (space) and the user.