Architecture for the Moving Body

The human body is designed for movement. It has to move, it desires to move. Our bodies will find a way to express that desire. The way we as humans inhabit the built environment reflects our ability and desire for our bodies to move. Architecture has always been designed with that in mind, whether intentionally or unintentionally. This thesis is an investigation to reveal the various ways the human body moves in the built environment and how architecture and design can accommodate or dictate human movement.

The thesis project of a physical therapy facility on an existing park in Washington, D.C. alludes to the opportunities for varying movements of the body. It also provides an extensive program that largely posits a myriad of relationships between the varying functions of architectural space and human movements.