Natures Cure A THERAPEUTIC & EDUCATIONAL RETREAT FOR YOUTH WITH EMOTIONAL, MENTAL & BEHAVIORAL DISORDERS
Chloe Chapman
Contents 1 2
Project Introduction and Goals
Project Research
3
Project Narrative
4 5 6 7
Site Location and Analysis
Program Research and Master Planning
Campus Building Design
Final Presentation
1
Project Introduction and Goals
Thesis Statement: How can a Coastal Environment aid holistic therapeutic healing for Youth’s with Mental health and behavioral challenges.
Project Goals and Statement of Intent: • To create a transitional residential facility for young adults aged 12 - 18, struggling with Anxiety, Behavioral & Mood Disorders. • Take inspiration from the Campus’ calming coastal location to design not only the facility, but also the holistic approach to care and therapy • Promotes dignity, social Interaction and independence for all it’s residences
Personal Note:
The inspiration for this project came out of personal experience with young adults and the mental health system. I have a younger sibling that over the course of the last 6 years has been in and out of hospitals, short and long term residential facilitates, and at home. Over this time I have visited them at these facilities and what has always struck me is how institutional and sterile all of them have been. These facilities are usually are built to withstand a lot of abuse, and have more in common with a prison, that a place to heal. For my final project I wanted to explore architecture as an caregiver. Could I design a facility that instead of imprisoning the body and souls of the kids inside, it could help to inspire and maybe heal them? The location of the project was also chosen with care. This little piece of land at the end of Maine is one of the most peaceful places that I have had the fortune to visit. Every time I come here I am immediately filled with a sense of calm and peace. I couldn’t think of a better place to construct my retreat. My hope is that the peace, and healing that I feel when standing here, has been transcribed into the essence of this project.
2
Project Research
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Effective Treatment Interviews and Research What are the most common diagnosis for young adults in residential care? Depression, anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), oppositional defiant disorder & reactive attachment disorder. These all usually stem from a trauma that the child has experienced in their life, whether that be a traumatic birth, domestic violence, physical abuse, sexual abuse or broken attachments. What are some common therapies that could be used to help kids and young adults suffering with these diagnosis? Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Is a common type of talk therapy (psychotherapy) (1). This treatment helps to identify and change destructive thought patterns that have a negative influence on behavior and emotions (2). There are several techniques used in CBT: Identifying Negative Thoughts, Practicing New Skills, Goal-Setting, Problem-Solving, and Self-Monitoring (2).
Interview with Child & Family Therapist Megan Sparks
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT): Is a modified type of CBT and is skills based. It’s main goals are to teach people how to live in the moment, and develop healthy coping mechanisms to regulate stress and emotions (3). DBT can be utilized in both individual and group settings (3). Techniques used are: Core Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Interpersonal Effectiveness, and Emotion Regulation (3). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): Is a structured psychotherapy method proven to help people recover from trauma. The therapy is designed to resolve unprocessed traumatic memories in the brain, using eye movements and/or sounds. This therapy can be used in conjunction with the other therapies or on it’s own.
What types of security measures are used in residential care? By Law buildings can only be locked to outside visitors, you cannot lock residences inside the building or campus. There are door alarms and sometime security staff to try and mitigate or intervene but there are not traditional forms of security. A levels system is in place, where dependent on the kids behavior they get more privileges. If a child is on the lowest level, they will not be able to leave the building(s) with out an personal one on one escort, and this is limited. Kids on the upper levels are able to moving throughout the campus in groups with their assigned staff members. What is the ideal staff to resident ratio? At her facility is was a 3 kid to 1 Staff member (counselor) ratio. Approximately how many Staff did it take to run your facility? Around 20: 1 Nurse per shift (3 shifts, Day, Evening & Night) 1 Director 1 Supervisor per shift (3 shifts, Day, Evening & Night) 4 Case Counselors 4 Therapists 1 Psychiatrist 2 Security Officers
Interview with Child & Family Therapist Caitlin Chubb
If you could change something about the program you where part of what would it be? To add more Life Skill and other mastery classes. Such as Mindfulness coaching, Yoga, Art Therapy, Music Therapy, Cooking Classes, Gardening classes. This help build new skills and builds confidence in the kids which is extremely helpful to their healing process. Also a new therapy that is gaining a lot of success is Adventure Therapy, where kids that are in the upper levels and are showing good behavior are taken on weekend or longer trips into nature with a guides, Counselors and therapists. It gives them a change to be in a different environment and experience new emotions and learn how to deal with them. It also builds teamwork with others kids on the trip.
Program Interviews and Research What was the inspiration for the design of Healing Spirit House ? The client (The Government of Canada) had clear goals that they wanted to meet. While working with them these words and phrases became the narrative for the project, something that was referred to over and over throughout the process: • • • • • •
Optimism Vitality Mindfulness Sense of Purpose Belonging Authenticity
What where some challenges in designing this facility? Integrating safety & security in an obtrusiveness way was the hardest. Glass was used to seal off areas around a two story atrium / Lobby space in order to bring in light, but still create a safe space for the residence. Even the stair was specially designed with an wooden handrail that cleverly filled that gap bounded by the switchback stairs between the first and second floor. What was the most successful area of the facility after construction? The lobby / entrance space was designed as an axis point between the Residence portion of the building and the school and outdoor space. This area became home to a large transitional “Living Room” space where kids from different pods hang out together before and after class. The kids are able to have an as-semblance of “normalcy” in that they are just hanging out with some friends. It has been a very popular spot in the facility and has gotten a lot of good feedback.
Interview with Brian Giebink Architect from HDR Architects
What are the most common diagnosis for young adults in residential care? Depression, anxiety, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder & Autistic (on the spectrum). Andy also spoke to these diagnosis usually steaming from a trauma that the child has experienced. He also mentioned that there has been a shift in the last several years from more hardcore diagnosis to more thought & mood disorders like depression and anxiety. What programs do you run at your facility Response: is • A program for kids ages 12-17 • Stay for 28 days while a full assessment is made of the teen’s needs Dala: • A program for kids ages 12-17 • Stay for 3 months • This treatments program is specifically for those with • Anxiety, Depression & other thought disorders Crossroads Care: • A program for kids ages 12-17 • This treatments program is specifically for those with severe conduct disorder • Is a secure forensic unit
Interview with Andy McDonald Assistant Director of Maples Adolescent Treatment Center at Healing Spirit House
Complex Care: • A program for kids ages 7-18 • This treatments program is specifically for those with developmental and/or behavioral disorders
Program Interviews and Research Healing Spirit House: Valley view Mental Health Facility Designed by Brian Giebink - HDR Architects Located on a 244 acre property in Riverview Lands in Coquitlam, British Columbia • 108,000 SF facility • It has a 38 beds • Divided into 5 color “Neighborhoods” for the different programs • Each unit is broken up into 8 to 12 person pods • There is a school hosted inside the building on the ground floor • Residents have access to several secure outdoor spaces on site
Interview Word Cloud During the process of interviewing everyone, I made a point to ask each of them to describe to me in words what they would want their perfect facility/ program to be like or include. These are the words that came from them, a lot of them describe sensory experiences, and a feeling that the kids at the facility should feel while staying there. I used these words as an inspiration for the project, and would return to them time and time again to see if what I was designing met this criteria.
3
Project Narratives
The van full of 12 to 14-year-old kids is buzzing. The air is filled with anticipation and anxiety. As the van makes its way down the road toward Sea Glass Shores. The van passes some beautiful little inlets where the passengers catch little glimpses of the ocean. The van finally makes its way down toward the end of the island and takes a left-hand turn onto Washington Ave. They bump along the road till they make the final turn and the trees clear and the kids can finally see the vast ocean, spreading to eternity beyond them. The van passes through the stone gate and pulls up to the large cedar-shingled building. From this point, the kids can see that Sea Glass Shores is different than some of the other places that they have stayed at before. Instead of a large imposing, hospital-like building like they are used to, this place is more like a summer camp. With clusters of building dotted throughout the site. Some of the buildings are large, with lots of embedded windows, and others are smaller, more like cottages. While most of the kids have never been here before, the campus almost feels familiar, it has a homelike quality to it. It helps to relieve some of the first-day anxiety that they are feeling. They begin to pour out of the van and into the large shingled building in front of them. Once inside the kids are drawn to the expansive windows at the other side of the room, where they can see the ocean beyond. To the right they can see some kids down at a sandy beach area swimming and boating, this gets them excited to try those activities. The kids are walked through the intake procedure and after some discussions, the group is once again lead outside. The group is divided into groups of 8 and taken to some of the small cottages they had seen upon arrival. As they approach each cottage, they notice that it is wrapped with a porch and has a special name.
It turns out that these small wooden cottages are going to be their home during their stay at Sea Glass Shores. For some this stay with be 30 days for others it could be up to 90 days depending on their needs. For some this stay with be 30 days for others it could be up to 90 days depending on their needs. The kids bustle inside to find that the inside reminds them of home. There is a large open area that has a dining table and a living room with couches and chairs and even a TV. The materials and colors of the space are warm and inviting, not cold and sterile like the hospital where most of these kids have come from. They make their way into their bedrooms. Each kid gets their own room, with large windows that frame a view of campus, or for some of the ocean. Each room has a soft bed to sleep on and a desk for them to use for homework. There are controls by the bed where each kid can control the lights & the window shade. By giving each kid some control of their space, it gives them some ownership over their lives and their space. Soon it is time for dinner, so the kids exit their cottage and make their way to the dining hall which oriented to face the ocean. The kids enjoy their dinner as they get to know their new neighbors and enjoy the view outside. The new kids are excited to sign up for some of the activities that Sea Glass shores have to offer such as Sea Kayaking, Gardening, Cooking lessons, and even Woodworking and art-making classes. There is also a gym & pool on campus that can be used year-round for swimming as well as hydrotherapy. Tomorrow the kids will be introduced to the school. It is one of the larger wood structures nestled into the trees that enclose the backside of the campus grounds. This school is very different than others the kids have been to in the past. They have heard that sometimes for school they go hiking to explore and study the nature around them. A short hike from school will take the kids to the Giant Steps, which is a natural formation of rocks that stack like steps from the coastline down to the crashing waves below. If they show good behavior there are even trips to other longer hikes in nearby towns. As night falls the kids make their way back to their cottages, and to their bedrooms. As they climb into bed they can hear the crashing of waves, which slowly lulls them to sleep.
User Narratives
Jayden is 12 years old, and is on his way to the Retreat Center. His social worker has just picked him from the hospital where he had been staying for the last 2 weeks. The plan is for Jayden to spend 6 weeks at the retreat, where he will be able to be assessed and a treatment plan created specifically for him. He will be living in cabin 1 with other boys his age and will enrolled in the school on site. Jayden will also take part in individual and group therapy sessions to help talk thru what he is struggling with and help create healthy coping mechanisms to help when he is having a hard time. Hopeful by the end of the six weeks Jayden will be able to transition back home with his grandparents.
Ava is 14 years old and has been in the program for about 3 weeks. She came to the Retreat Center after several anxiety attacks, and a stay a mental health hospital. Ava has made great strides during her one on one and group therapy sessions. So far her favorite activity has been the gardening and cooking classes she has taken while at the retreat. Since it is summer she has also gotten to go swimming and kayaking in the ocean and participate in group hikes nearby. Ava is looking forward to the weekend when her parents will get to come and visit her, as well as having some family therapy sessions. She thinks her mom will love how close to the ocean the campus is and how you can hear the ocean’s waves at night when you go to sleep.
Jacob is 16, and is getting ready to go on the graduating Adventure Trip. It is a weekend long trip where a group of graduating students go and hike and camp out in the wilderness of Maine, with their guidance counselors and therapists. Jacob is so excited to finally be going on the trip. Ever Since he got to the Retreat center 6 weeks ago, he has been waiting for this moment. Jacob had a rocky start after getting here, but after getting involved with the yoga and mindfulness training classes, he has felt a lot more at peace. His therapist, teachers and counselors have all told him how proud they are of him and the progress he has made. After the trip he will officially graduate and be able to go home to his family and friends.
The Williams’, Ava’s parents, have made the long trip up to the Retreat center for Family weekend. When the Williams get to the Retreat, they are directed to a group of cottages that are original to the site. This is where they will be staying during family weekend. Family Weekend is when parents or guardians of the kids at the retreat can come and visit. During the weekend family sessions are scheduled so that parents/guardians can work with the kids on issues together in a therapeutic environment and start to make positive changes that can help everyone be successful when the kids graduate the program and come home. The Williams are excited to visit Ava, as she has told them how much she has enjoyed her classes she has been taking, and can’t wait to take them on a hike to the Giant Steps nearby.
4
Site Location and Analysis
United States Map
State of Maine Map
Bailey Island, Maine
Bailey Island Map
Site Location Map 81 Washington Ave. Bailey Island, Maine
Site Analysis: Site History and Images DRIFTWOOD INN : 100 years
Site Analysis: Topography
BEACH
FOREST
SHORELINE
Site Analysis: Sun and Wind Analysis
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Program Research and Master Planning
PROJECT BUILDING PROGRAM: I want my project to be a campus of buildings that address the various needs of the retreat center. •
Housing • • •
•
Therapy & Treatment • • • • •
•
Spaces for individual therapy sessions Spaces for group therapy sessions Spaces for family therapy sessions Space for staff offices Space for on site medical treatment
Academic • • • • •
•
Housing for the Residences Housing for Staff Housing for visiting Families
Spaces for classes to take place Spaces for lab classes to take place Spaces for specialized therapy and Life Skill classes (Art, Music, Horticulture, Cooking) Spaces for storage Space for staff offices
Recreational • • • • • •
Spaces for indoor sports and exercise Spaces for outdoor sports and exercise Spaces for indoor & outdoor swimming Spaces for storage Space for staff offices Space for gardening
Housing
Therapy & Treatment
Recreation
Academic
Performative Program and Program Esquisse
Preliminary Program •
Housing (15,890 SF) •
• • • •
•
Kids Residence Buildings (9,420 SF) 13,471 GSF 30 Bedrooms - 300 SF each Communal Living 140 SF Communal Kitchenette & Dining Space 200 SF Restrooms 80 SF
•
Admin Area: 1,600 SF • Staff Office 1,000 SF • Storage 600 SF • Cafeteria Area: 2,600 SF • Seating area 1,600 SF • Kitchen Area: 800 SF • Storage 150 SF • Laundry 50 SF • Entry & Lobby 600 SF
•
•
Staff Residence Buildings (6,470 SF) 9,252 GSF • 20 Bedrooms 300 SF each • Communal Living 140 SF • Communal Kitchenette & Dining Space 200 SF • Co-working office space 80 SF • Communal Laundry 50 SF Therapy & Treatment Center (4,150 SF) 5,935 GSF • Various Therapy Rooms: 750 SF • Therapy Room 250 SF • Music Therapy Room 250 SF • Art Therapy Room 250 SF • Group & Family Therapy Area: 1,000 SF • Group Room 800 SF • Family Room 500 SF • Admin Area: 1,600 SF • Staff Offices 1,000 SF
•
• Restrooms 1,200 SF Recreational Gym (10,600 SF) 15,1 • Gym 7,000 SF • • •
•
•
Storage 600 SF • Entry & Lobby 600 SF • Restrooms 200 SF Outdoor Recreation Space • Flower Gardens • Vegetable & Herb Gardens • Basketball Court • Playground • Beach Area
Academic & Cafeteria Building (8, • Classroom Area: 2,000 SF • Classroom (Math) 500 SF • Classroom (Science) 500 • Classroom (English) 500 S • Classroom (Misc.) 500 SF
•
• •
Admin Area: 1,000 SF Offices 500 SF Storage 500 SF Restroom & Locker Rooms 4 Weight & Gym Equipment 1,5
• Entry & Lobby 700 SF Campus total: (38,640 - 40,000 SF •
Additional Outbuildings for L
Development • Using existing cottages to h
,000 SF) 11,440 GSF
F 0 SF SF F
158 GSF
400 SF 500 SF
F) 55,256 - 60,000 GSF
Landscaping &
house Families when they visit
Preliminary Program 1. Recreational Center
2. Staff Residence Buildings 4
3
1
4. Academic & Cafeteria Building
3
5. Therapy & Treatment Center
6
2 2
3. Kids Residence Buildings
6. Existing Cottages
6 6
6 5
Shown here are my initial program & building locations. Each mass represents the initial SQ for each building type that I had layed out in my preliminary program breakdown. From here I stared to move the pieces around the site which you will see in the next several pages.
Evolution of the Master plan
6
Campus Building Design
Local Island Precedents
Local Vernacular Precedents
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
Local Vernacular Precedents Haystack Mountain School of Craft
Elliot Architects
They do design and renovations of residential and institutional buildings. Much of their work is on the Maine coast and islands, and it is this extraordinary environment – natural, cultural and architectural – which provides their starting point and inspiration. They work to understanding the nature of materials with which they work with, and honoring traditions of craftsmanship. As an office, they seek achieve an appropriate balance of tradition and modernity in their design.
Material Palette and Roof line Pallet
Therapy Building Evolution
Recreation Building Evolution
Dining Hall and Education Building Evolution
Student Housing Evolution
Passive House and Heavy Timber Construction
7
Final Presentation
Site and Master plan
Administration and Arts Building
Education Building
Kids Residence Building
Dining Hall
Staff Housing
Recreation Building
Therapy Building
Winter Garden
Center Court