X U E E C I E V U A M R S Y T M
The focus of this thesis is to study how a well-design rehabilitation center that prioritizes accessibility to nature and various mediums of art therapy can help spinal cord injury patients heal and prepare them for life after their injury.
The city of New York is an urban jungle filled with glass skyscrapers and concrete sidewalks, however, woven into the city grid are beautiful pockets of nature and parks that were designed to escape the city. A city like New York can often feel similar to a healthcare facility, cold and rigid. The goal of my rehabilitation center is to take inspiration from the parks and nature that surround my site and introduce them to the healthcare environment. Through finishes, lighting, and layout, a healthcare environment can transform into a more hospitality-based environment.
Along with access to nature, which in turn promotes quicker healing, the overall goal of the center is to teach its patients how to live with their injuries and show them that they are still able to experience the beautiful things in life before their injury.
OVERVIEW A
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Problem Statement
The spinal rehabilitation hospital is an eight-story, 60,000-square-foot building located in Brooklyn, New York. Brooklyn is one of the five boroughs of New York City. New York City is the United State’s most populous city with a current population estimated at over 8.8 million people. Brooklyn in particular is the most populous borough of New York and occupies 81 square miles. The developer has placed this rehabilitation center in the heart of Sunset Park, which over 200,000 New Yorkers call home. The appeal of Sunset Park is the accessibility to entertainment, parks, shopping, healthcare, hotels, and dining. The proposed clientele for this rehabilitation center is 14+ year-old patients with a variety of medical conditions, primarily, spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, stroke survivors, amputees, etc. The rehabilitation center will focus on physical and cognitive rehabilitation services in collaboration with a series of amenity spaces to create an environment that promotes healing and improves the overall quality of life when learning to overcome a disability.
Thesis Statement
The mission of this Spinal Rehabilitation center is to improve the overall quality of life and healing of the patients by introducing amenity spaces with access to nature, not commonly found in healthcare to improve overall healing whilst simultaneously offering physical and cognitive rehabilitation services.
The Clients
The Staff
The Patient’s Family
The Patient
GOAL: Create hospitality inspired private patient rooms
OBJECTIVE: Use various FF+E finishes to create warmth in the space not commonly found in healthcare spaces
GOAL: Design state-of-the-art therapy gyms
OBJECTIVE: Use the newest technology available to populate the designated therapy gym spaces
GOAL: Design training spaces for the development of realworld skills
OBJECTIVE: Use specific non-ADA areas to teach patients how to maneuver in the real world
GOAL: Create amenity based therapy spaces
OBJECTIVE: Provide a variety of different therapy spaces such as music, art and gardening
GOAL: Access to nature for healing benefits
OBJECTIVE: Place patient rooms and amenity spaces next to outdoor access zones or windows
825 39th St, Brooklyn, NY 11232
Over 200,000 New Yorkers call Sunset Park home. The site is just steps away from myriad subway stations, bus stops, banks, restaurants, entertainment, gyms, and retail shops.
Accessible Transportation
Subway Car
D D R N
One-minute walk to 9th Ave.
10-minute walk to 36th St. Station
BUILDING ANALYSIS
Easy and convenient access to BQE/I278, less than 20 minutes to downtown Manhattan
Amenities:
95 space on-site parking garage, bright sunlight-filled interiors, 24-hour security, oversized elevators, and 24-hour security.
Accessibility:
Oversized elevators and wheelchair ramps provide easy access for all visitors. Multiple restrooms on each floor.
Sustainability:
Fully energy efficient. High-speed elevator. Full-glass facade provides luminous natural sunlight and gorgeous views of Manhattan skyline.
Sunset Park
A prime real estate that serves as an attractive offering in the heart of Sunset Park, Brooklyn, one of the largest urban communities in New York City.
Highly sought-after location thanks to its rapid residential and population growth, multi-billion dollar redevelopment, and insatiable market appetite for commercial real estate.
BUILDING ANALYSIS CONT.
Total Square Footage: 24,328 sqft
Total # of Floors: 8 Floors
Entrance: 39th Street
PRELIMINARY DESIGN B
DESIGN CONCEPT
Concept Statement
The focus of this thesis is to study how a well-designed rehabilitation center that prioritizes accessibility to nature and various mediums of amenity-based therapy can help spinal cord injury patients heal and prepare them for life after their injury.
The city of New York is an urban jungle filled with glass skyscrapers and concrete sidewalks, however, woven into the city grid are beautiful pockets of nature and parks that were designed to escape the city. A city like New York can often feel similar to a healthcare facility, cold and rigid. The goal of my rehabilitation center is to take inspiration from the parks and nature that surround my site and introduce them to the healthcare environment through unique amenity spaces. Space planning throughout the building revolves around a constant core structure in the middle of each floor. This core acts as the spine of the building. The way-finding and paths of travel around the core are reminiscent of the spinal nerves that intertwine around the spine. Through finishes, lighting, and layout, a healthcare environment can transform into a more hospitality-based environment.
Along with access to nature, which in turn promotes quicker healing, the overall goal of the center is to teach its patients how to live with their injuries and show them that they are still able to experience the beautiful things in life.
CAFETERIAFLOORAXONOMETRIC
Color Justification
To help with way finding and visual cues in the space, the design of the core structures are supported by key color choices designated to the function of each floor. The key colors were pulled from the New York MTA subway lines that act as the nervous system of New York City in support to the larger structure of the city, similarly to how to the spinal nerves support the core bone structure of the spine.
AMENITYFLOORAXONOMETRIC
PATIENTFLOORAXONOMETRIC
THERAPYGYMFLOORAXONOMETRIC
STAFFFLOORAXONOMETRIC
LOBBYFLOORAXONOMETRIC
Space Planning
The space planning of the building revolves around a consistent functional core element. This core represents the “spine” of the building. Since this particular building is 8 floors, each core in located in the center of each floor and the paths of travel work around that core. Depending on the function of the floor, for example, the patient floors, the core is the nurse’s station and acts as the main hub of that floor plate. The size of the core varies in size depending on the needs of the functions on each floor. The shape of the core, however, remains consistent with the curves found on the vertebrae of the spine.
SPACE PLANNING
LEVEL 9 - ROOFTOP
LEVEL 8 - CAFETERIA
LEVEL 7 - AMENITY FLOOR
LEVEL 6 - PATIENT FLOOR
LEVEL 5 - PATIENT FLOOR
LEVEL 4 - PATIENT FLOOR
LEVEL 3 - THERAPY GYM
LEVEL 2 - STAFF FLOOR
LEVEL 1 - LOBBY FLOOR
DESIGN PROPOSAL
THIRD
WALKING REHAB TRACK
TRAINING KITCHEN
360 RENDER
1. 3. 2. 1. 2. 3. Therapy Gym Floor Walking Rehab Track Training KitchenMUSIC THERAPY ROOM
HORTICULTURE THERAPY ROOM
FINISHES + FURNITURE
21 Formica Bleach Concrete
22 Design Tex Melange in Caspian
23 Interface LVT in White Washed
24 Nasco Subway Tile in Azul
25
26 Design Tex Melange in Moss
27 Interface Carpet Tile in Fossil
28 Farrow + Ball Paint in Pigeon
29 Design Tex Nook in Habitat
Circadian Lighting
The concept of circadian lighting follows that of the human circadian rhythm, a 24-hour internal clock Circadian lighting sends signals to the master clock in the brain, telling our bodies when it is daytime and when it is night. A healthy circadian rhythm is associated with improved long-term health and helps promote better sleep at night, allowing our brains to repair our bodies as well as our minds. In the context of healthcare facilities light impacts outcomes in healthcare settings by reducing depression, decreasing length of stay in hospitals, easing pain, and improving adjustment amoung the night-shift staff.
DOOR CLEARANCES
PUSH Side: 16” or 1.34 feet
PULL Side: 24” or 2 feet
Door Size: 48” or 4 feet
HALLWAY CLEARANCES
Egress Path: 96” or 8 feet wide
Secondary Path: 48” or 4 feet wide
SOURCES
Broad, William J. “How the Ice Age Shaped New York.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 5 June 2018,
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/05/science/how-the-ice-age-shaped-new-york.html#:~:text=Staten%20Island%20and%20Brooklyn%20were%20once%20connected%20 by,tip%20of%20Staten%20Island%2C%20in%20Conference%20House%20Park.
“Brooklyn of New York City.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.,
https://www.britannica.com/place/New-York-City/Brooklyn
Bureau, US Census. Census.gov, 2 Nov. 2022, https://www.census.gov/
“FAQs: Icahn School of Medicine.” Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai,
https://icahn.mssm.edu/research/spinal-cord-injury/resources/faqs
“Magee Rehabilitation Hospital.” Jefferson Health,
https://www.jeffersonhealth.org/locations/magee-rehabilitation-hospital
“New York City Population 2022.” Population USA, https://www.usapopulation.org/new-york-city-population/
“Spinal Cord Injury.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2 Oct. 2021,
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/spinal-cord-injury/symptoms-causes/ syc-20377890
Jonas, Wayne. “The Healing Power of Nature.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/how-healing-works/202103/the-healing -power-nature.
Richard-Hamilton, Franchell. “The Healing Power of Nature.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers,https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-roots-health/202111/the -healing-power-nature.
“Spinal Cord Injury Facts and Statistics.” SCI Progress, 18 Mar. 2019, https://sciprogress.com/spinal-cord-injury-statistics/.
“Spinal Cord Injury.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/spinal-cord-injury.