ARCHITECTURE OF EMPATHY: CANCER CARE CENTER

Abstract

Empathy is understanding needs and emotions. It connects us to the world through our own bodies and in turn, the world opens itself up to us as we feel our way into it. Cancer is a grave illness which not only strips a patient from their health, usual self and routine but scars both the patient and their families leaving them to struggle between life and death. It disorients and haunts the patients due to the magnitude of uncertainty which comes with the journey they are about to encounter. In our context, the conventional hospital facilities, although providing medical care do not fully cater to the very vital social support, bereavement and secondary help need for the serious illness. Health doesn't mean just the absence of a disease but the best state of physical, mental and social wellbeing. As quoted by Maggie Jencks, who fell prey to cancer, wife of the late Charles Jencks phrased "Above all what matters is not to lose the joy of living in the fear of dying" After taking detailed interviews from doctors, patients, their families and research through literature review it was deduced that a cancer care center is an essential need. Breaking away from the conventional hospital environment, the program explores how architecture can offer a secondary therapeutic effect and rejuvenate wellbeing providing them with care, protection, reassurance and strengthen their willpower. It signifies the curative process of healing by exploring the stages of self-actualization while using an Empathic approach to develop mindful connections between users and instill strength and intrinsic hope.