Speculo - A Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Center for the Youth of Islamabad

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to provide a substance abuse rehabilitation centre for the youth of Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan. Substance abuse reached unprecedented levels in Pakistan after the Afghan War. And at this current point in time, the number of the youth of Pakistan is almost half of the total population. In these formative years, a great many experiences lead you into adulthood. The idea of belonging is crucial to that development. In a transitional, beta-world city like Islamabad, this stability may be lacking. This often leads to the attempt to regain some semblance of control, and often might lead to self-destructive obsessive tendencies used as a coping mechanism. The aim of this thesis is to use architecture to provide a space that makes the reformation easy, but allows it to occur with dignity and sensitivity. It is also a speculation, a reflection on what causes addiction, and the necessity for human connection and association in order to heal.