Living in the moment: Approaching Mental healthcare design through adaptive reuse and sensory stimulation

This thesis intends to explore the idea of transforming unused lifeless space which is surplus and old into a holistic mental healthcare space. The world has never been the same since the pandemic and one of the major trends that have been seen post-pandemic is the work from home culture, Major companies have chosen this model and not planning to turn back, this has led to the decline in use of office spaces. Most of the office buildings now are seeing a sharp decline in occupancy, this has led to question the usage of such unused workspaces. There have been projects in the recent years where such conversions have taken place such as the 1633 Broadway by SOM. The design takes an intentional approach of carving out a monolith mass which had more than 50-feet of depth strategically to create floor plates appropriate to a residential use case. This also allowed the transformed building to access natural light.

Mental health can play a crucial role for the coming generations and the overall health of the city. It is time that we look for spaces which can be converted to facilities which not only provide traditional mental health clinics but also green public spaces which contribute in lowering the mental stress. To cater to mental healthcare on a larger scale it important to have access to green spaces, a space where a person can go and have lunch, a space where a person can enjoy their walks or just take a break. Even though New York has green spaces such as Central Park, Bryant Park, Washington Square park, high line and much more it is not enough for the everyday local to access them based on their location of work and stay. New York has a couple of mini parks sprinkled across the city such as Paley Park, Green-acre Park. These parks are a breath of fresh air for people living nearby as they have their own private space in this chaotic city. 

Being mindful of such strategies can prove useful while designing the building for mental health care not just for the people using the building but also for the people of New York living in and around the building. Some neighborhoods in Manhattan have ample of green spaces as well as spaces where they have good views from their apartments while some neighborhoods lack access to such spaces. In order to be efficient and right in choosing the site, it is important to map such factors which will guide the site selection process. It has been observed that more expensive neighborhoods such as Hudson Yards, Tribe-ca, So-Ho already do have access to green spaces and places which contribute to mental well being of a person. People staying near the Central park have access to such a large green space and hence those areas were not considered while selecting the site. The intervention makes more sense if it happens on a site which falls on the areas which are deserted  of green spaces. Hence, Midtown-West was looked at after studying various neighborhoods in and around Manhattan.

The design follows an adaptive reuse approach where the heritage building is sensitvely altered to create spaces which contribute towards the program of the building. Voids are carefully sculpted out of the existing facade while keeping the essence of the building intact.The proposed design intends to make the visitor aware about themselves through architectural features that engage the five human senses. Variations and randomness found in nature is also mimicked in the space which generates curiosity for the person experiencing the same. The orderly and monotonous spaces are avoided by adding natural features and elements such as plants and shrubs. Uses of natural materials such as wood and stone create a sense of warmth and do contribute in create an atmosphere where a person can connect with themselves. Natural light is invited into the space through large openings and cut outs in the slab. The proposed structure is set in from the primary façade to create an in-between space which acts like a buffer space between the external world and the structure. The façade acts like a horizon which a person can use to orient themselves with respect to the building. All these design gestures contribute towards a person's mental awareness and thus making a person to be in the moment. 

Being aware of the impact that built spaces can have over a person's mental health, the design takes an approach which focuses on how a person feels in a space. The architecture and the user do have a conversation through light, materials, wind and sound to achieve a space which positively impacts a person's mental health.