Architectural Dissertation: Art as a Healing Tool

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ART as a HEALING TOOL

An architecture that promotes healing and rehabilitation, throughartandnature.

Photo by Almighty Shilref Edited by Glorivette Correa Núñez

ART AS A HEALING TOOL

An architecture that promotes healing and rehabilitation, through art and nature.

To everyone who has helped me to be who I am: to my dear parents Gloria and Luis, who have always supported me and have been there, even when I thought about giving up, and when I didn’t even believe in myself; to my brothers Eli and Luis A. and my large family; to my best friend Melanie who has always believed in me; and to my friends and classmates that I have met during these years of studying architecture who have been fundamental in making this process more fun and bearable, during these long years of stressful nights and goals achieved.

I take this opportunity to thank all my teachers and professors who have given me their patience and wisdom. And to my dog Leia, who has been my emotional support and companion since she came into my life during the times of quarantine due to the pandemic.

INDEX

PHASE1:INVESTIGATION . . . . . . . 6-34

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . 8-10

SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS . . . . . . 11-18

ECOLOGICAL ASPECTS . . . . . . . 19-22

ECONOMIC ASPECTS . . . . . . . 23-26

THEORETICAL ASPECTS . . . . . . . 27-30

INTERVIEW SUMMARY . . . . . . . 31

CONCLUSION . . . . . . . . 32

ANTECEDENTS . . . . . . . . 33-34

PHASE2:PRE-DESIGN . . . . . . . . 35-50

PROBLEM . . . . . . . . . 37

LOCATION FOCUS. . . . . . . . 38 POSSIBLE LOCATIONS . . . . . . . 39-40

ARCHITECTURAL PROGRAM . . . . . . 41-48

STAKEHOLDERS . . . . . . . . 49

PHASE3:CONCEPTUALDESIGN . . . . . . 51-58

STRATEGIES & CONCEPT . . . . . . 53-54

PROGRAMMED VOLUMETRY . . . . . . 55

PROPOSALS . . . . . . . . 56-58

PHASE4:SCHEMATICDESIGN . . . . . . 59-90

SCHEMATIC PROPOSALS . . . . . . 61-62

THESIS . . . . . . . . . 63-76

ANTITHESIS . . . . . . . . 77-90

REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . 91-94

PHASE I:

(https://www.pexels.com/photo/monochrome-photo-of-woman-sitting-on-floor-3104178/)

Photo by Sam Pineda

INTRODUCTION:

Mental health problems are very common throughout the world. It is estimated that millions of people suffer in silence, being their daily lives negatively affected with each passing day. In the past years and even decades, the human being was ashamed to ask for psychological help. Well, going to therapy was considered a “taboo” or that it was something for the “crazy” people. It is now in the 21st century that people hear more about mental health and that is when it begins to take on a certain degree of importance. Currently, the number of people who continue without seeking help continues to be high. This may be due to the lack of information, insecurity, fear of discrimination or the absence of services (WHO, 2022)1 .

The World Health Organization describes mental health as an integral part of our lives and considers that it should be a fundamental human right. Having stable mental health means being better able to relate, function, face difficulties and thrive (WHO, 2022)2. Suffering from a mental disorder results in a state of suffering and emotional pain that could affect not only the well-being of people, but also their biological and immunological functioning (Domínguez, 2013)3.Themostcommondisordersworldwide

thatcancausestatesofvulnerabilityarestress, anxiety and depression.

These disorders are traditionally treated through psychotherapy. According to the Center London 94 psychiatry and psychology office, this psychological treatment is based on the patient-therapist relationship. The objective of this therapy is to help the patient develop the necessary resources to face, assimilate and adapt without difficulties to individual psychosocial circumstances (Sabaté, n.d.)4. It is a therapy where verbal communication is essential to create a bond of trust, with which a therapeutic alliance can be developed.

As psychotherapy is mainly verbal, it becomesadifficultyforpeoplewhofinditdifficult to express themselves in this way, either due to some event, insecurity or a condition. This is why the search for other alternatives arises, which can be applied to people with different mental illnesses or who are going through difficult situations. Many resources are found in the art itself. Which we know from its first findings in caves and tombs (Cosme, 2013)5 , approximately 40,000 years ago according to history. Which shows how this has been an important part of the development of language and has covered the need of the human being

1 OMS, “Informe Mundial Sobre Salud Mental: Transformar La Salud Mental Para Todos”, 2022, https://www.who.int/es/publications/i/ item/9789240050860.

2 OMS, “Informe Mundial Sobre Salud Mental: Transformar...”

3 Domínguez Toscano, Pilar, “Arteterapia En El Tratamiento De La Depresión: Revisión De La Producción Científica .” Essay. In Arteterapia En El Ámbito De La Salud Mental, (2013) 49–84.

4 Sabaté, N. (n. d.) “La Psicoterapia.” Centre Londres 94. Centro Paidopsiquiátrico Del Barcelonas, http://www.centrelondres94.com/documento/ la-psicoterapia.

5 Cosme Ramírez, Mariana, “El Uso Del Arteterapia Como Alternativa Psicoterapéutica En El Área Clínica De La Psicología: Un Estudio De Caso,” (Dissertation, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México 2013).

Is the human capable enough to accept that he needs help?
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to express and communicate, without the need to speak.

In addition, it has been shown how our ancestors attributed therapeutic properties to thepaintingsandfiguresfound(Cosme,2013)6 . Therefore, art since ancient times shows how it can be used as a therapeutic tool. Able to help establishgreatercommunicationfortheunderstanding of emotions and the development of social skills. In the 19th century, art was questioned as a possible alternative to traditional therapy and it was not until the 20th century that the term art therapy emerged.

Art therapy can treat specific problems such as bipolar disorder, eating disorders and schizophrenia. It also helps to manage depression, reduces anxiety and stress, and encourages the development of interpersonal skills (Cosme, 2013)7. These are some of the problems that a large part of people constantly face and even more so in these times. After the confinement, due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, the World Health Organization affirmed an increase in anxiety and stress disorders. Due to the fact of having to communicate and live at a long distance (through a screen), which has disrupted people’s ability to relate to others. Therefore, art therapy could be a way to treat these problems, although “the field is relatively new and innovative, even more so in Puerto Rico.” (Ocasio, n.d.)8

And after the start of the pandemic, the deterioration of mental health systems and services tomeettheneedsofpeoplewasverified(WHO, 2022)9. Thus resulting in the need to invest in new alternatives to help with this problem. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to rescue the idea of art as a healing tool. The objectives being to expand the traditional medicine market, by developing new spaces that focus on providing other treatment alternatives, such as creative-artistic therapies. Also, it seeks to apply architectural aspects that promote healing, as well as the concept of art itself. In addition, the architectural capabilities that can be achieved together with art and nature will be explored, to meet the appropriate conditions in a space to provide these therapies. With these actions, a place of rehabilitation outside the stigmas and models followed by traditional mental treatment centersisachieved.Arttherapyisatoolquiteopen to people, in which it is not necessary to have artistic knowledge or skills. It only requires having the interest to seek help and try other means beyond words to express what we feel.

6 Cosme Ramírez, Mariana, “El Uso Del Arteterapia Como Alternativa Psicoterapéutica En El Área Clínica De La Psicología: Un Estudio De Caso,” (Dissertation, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México 2013).

7 Cosme Ramírez, Mariana, “El Uso Del Arteterapia Como Alternativa Psicoterapéutica...”

8 Ocasio Figueroa, Maricel. (n. d.) “Sobre Arte Terapia.” Arte Terapia Puerto Rico. https://arteterapiapr.com/sobreat/.

9 OMS, “Informe Mundial Sobre Salud Mental: Transformar La Salud Mental Para Todos”, 2022, https://www.who.int/es/publications/i/ item/9789240050860.

Photo by cottonbro (https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-an-elderly-man-sitting-on-a-bed-8860195/)

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“Sometimes all we need is paint and a piece of paper.” - gcorreanunez
Photo by: Nicola Barts Photo from: Pexels Edited By: Glorivette Correa

SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS:

Who needs help? Why has this become a problem?

At least 1000 million people suffer or will suffer some type of disease, this translates to 1 in 4 people of the world population, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO). Data that also show how depression and anxiety increased by 25% during the first year of the pandemic (García, 2013)10 . A figure that takes health professionals by surprise, since people are more open, there has been an increase in the demand for psychological assistance. Now people request help not so much to get cured because they are sick, but to overcome the difficulties that arise in their daily lives (Tovar, 2016)11. Well, they have realized that it is something that they cannot solve on their own and that not having stable mental health affects them not only emotionally but also physically.

The WHO for before 2020 had already warned about the need to expand specific quality mental health care services that meet the needs (WHO, 2021)12. The organization had proposed a plan to increase these services, since the arrival of the pandemic showed that the world is not prepared to meet the needs of psychological assistance. Therefore, the WHO affirms that by 2030 mental health will have become the main health problem in the world and therefore proposes the

10 García Santos, Pablo, “La Crisis De Los 25” El Español, (2022) https:// www.elespanol.com/ciencia/salud/20220805/crisis-alertan-psicologos-vez-jovenes-van-consulta/692180968_0.html.

11 Tovar, Javier, “¿Quién Acude a Las Consultas De Psicología?” EFE Salud, (2016), https://efesalud.com/quien-acude-las-consultas-psicologia/.

12 OMS, “Un Informe De La Oms Pone De Relieve El Déficit...” (2021) https:// www.who.int/es/news/item/08-10-2021-who-report-highlights-globalshortfall-in-investment-in-mental-health.

expansion of its Comprehensive Action Plan on Mental Health. Which proposes research on mental health and its integration into primary health care, so that access to these services is easier. Since there are countries that are not prepared to provide this assistance or need to expand their field. An example of this is Mexico, according to specialists from UNAM (National Autonomous University of Mexico), the percentage of people who receive psychological support when they need it does not exceed 20%. (Gomez, 2016)13. While the Illustrious Official College of Psychology affirms that in Spain there has been a 30% increase in psychology consultations since the beginning of the pandemic (Solano..., 2021)14 when before only 10% of Spaniards were faced with questioning to go to a psychologist (La Razón, 2019)15. While the magazine El País talks about a demonstration that occurred in Spain in 2021, where the right and improvement of mental health services were demanded. Well, during the pandemic, people began to deal directly with loneliness, economic problems, the fragmentationofsocialrelationships,andoverwhelm. During 2020 the number of suicides reached up to eleven daily suicides in Spain and it is estimated that about ten people attempted it. In addition, the magazine places a lot of

13 Gómez Maqueo, Emilia, “En El Mundo, 25 Por Ciento De La Población Ha Sufrido Algún Problema De Salud Mental.” (Boletin UNAM, 2016, https:// www.dgcs.unam.mx/boletin/bdboletin/2016_695.html).

14 Solano, Fátima, Angel, Sara, Maria, and Nicolas, “La Salud Mental De Los Jóvenes Tras La Pandemia.”(2021) https://variacionxxi.com/2021/12/24/ salud-mental-jovenes-pandemia/.

15 La Razón, “¿Acudir a UN PSICÓLOGO?”(2019) https://www.larazon.es/ atusalud/acudir-a-un-psicologo-solo-un-10-de-los-espanoles-se-lo-plantea-OB25244587/.

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emphasis on paying attention to the most impoverished or disadvantaged social sectors; since they are more likely to suffer from a mental health problem and also these are the ones with the fewest resources (Errejón, 2021)16 .

Everyone should have access to receive psychological assistance. Stress and anxiety are disorders that anyone can experience, regardless of age, race, or social class; according totheNationalAssociationofClinicalandResidentPsychologiststheserepresentatleast80% of mental health problems (Fundipp, 2021)17 Other circumstances for which a person attends therapy or seeks help are: behavioral disorders, learning problems, difficulty maintaininginterpersonalrelationships,copingwith difficult situations and learning to solve problems. As well as to treat couple, family, work, abuse and violence problems. Like people who seek help to deal with chronic diseases such as: Alzheimer’s, dementia, cancer, bipolarity, schizophrenia and among others. The typical treatment for these diseases is psychotherapy, in which one must have “a voluntary commitment and the desire to establish a therapeutic relationship” where language is the main means of communication (Cosme, 2013)18 .

“Artisnotjustacontemplation,itisalso an act, and all acts change the world, at least a little” - Tony Kusher

After the increase in the need to satisfy psychological assistance, the opportunity arisestogivewaytoothertherapyalternatives, whichevenprovidenon-verbaloptionsforpeople who do not find it easy to establish a communicative and/or expressive link. This makes it difficult to get the help they need to treat or cope with their problems. This alternative could be creative-artistic therapies, which use the arts to treat illnesses. To understand these therapies, one must first understand what art itself is; and according to the Royal Spanish Academy, art is a “manifestation of human activitythroughwhichtherealisinterpretedor the imagined is captured with plastic, linguistic or sound resources”. While the fine arts are a concept used to mention the seven manifestations, which are: architecture, sculpture, music, literature, dance and cinema (El Corte Inglés, 2021)19. This, in clinical terms for therapeutic and rehabilitation processes translates into the following therapies: music therapy, dance therapy, drama therapy and art therapy.

16 Errejón, Iñigo, “La Vida No Debería Doler Tanto a Tantos.” Revista de Prensa, (2021), https://www.almendron.com/tribuna/la-vida-no-deberiadoler-tanto-a-tantos/.

17 FUNDIPP. (2021). “Las Cifras De La Salud Mental En España ANPIR.” Fundación para la investigación en psicoterapia y personalidad, https://fundipp. org/las-cifras-de-la-salud-mental-en-espana/#.

18 Cosme Ramírez, Mariana, “El Uso Del Arteterapia Como Alternativa Psicoterapéutica En El Área Clínica De La Psicología: Un Estudio De Caso,” (Dissertation, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México 2013).

19 El Corte Inglés, “¿Cuáles Son Las Bellas Artes?” Blog, 2021, https://www. elcorteingles.es/entradas/blog/cuales-son-las-bellas-artes/#:~:text=Desde%20el%20siglo%20XX%2C%20las,manifestaciones%20culturales%20 y%20art%C3%ADsticas%20modernas.

20 Gete Sabater, María, “Terapia Expresiva En Educación Infantil” (Dissertation, Universidad Internacional de La Rioja 2013).

21 Tifatino, Enrica, (2019), “Qué Es La Danzaterapia - Técnicas y Beneficios”, https://www.saludterapia.com/glosario/d/18-danzoterapia.html.

Which are described below:

MUSICTHERAPY DANCETHERAPY

Therapy through music, which uses rhythm, harmony, intensity and melody; to enhance the possibilities of expression and creativity. 20 .

DRAMATHERAPY

Therapy through theater, which uses the use of theatrical images and metaphors, based on the interaction between spontaneity-creativity and imitation 20 .

ARTTHERAPY

Therapy through plastic arts

Therapythroughdance,theAmericanAssociationofDanceTherapydescribesitas theuseofmovementfortheintegrationof peoplebothphysicallyandemotionally
21 .
20 .
Photo by Robert Stokoe Photo by Cottonbro Photo by Michael Zittel
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Photo by Anna Shvets

Art therapy has different definitions, but these two pioneering associations in the field are the ones that come close to defining this therapy in a more accurate way. The Spanish Professional Association of Art Therapists defines art therapy as:

A healthcare profession that uses artistic creation as a tool to facilitate the expression and resolution of emotions or psychological conflicts. In art therapy the objects resulting from the artistic creation process act as intermediaries in the therapeutic relationship,allowingcertainconflictingfeelings or emotions to find a complementary or alternative way of expression to words (ATe, 2006)22 .

[On the other hand, the British Art Therapy Association defines it as]:

A form of psychotherapy that uses artistic media as the primary mode of communication. This is practiced by art therapists, who work with children, youth, adults and the elderly. It can be used for different diagnoses such as emotional disorders, physical disabilities or neurological situations. Art therapy is not a recreational activity or an art class, although it can be enjoyed. Clients do not need prior experience or expertise in art (BAAT, 1969)23 .

In general, creative-artistic therapies help both children and teenagers as well as adults and the elderly. These therapies treat people with functional diversity, mentally ill, cancer patients, individuals who have suffered abuse, geriatrics, with physical problems and among others (Gete, 2013)24. Creative-artistic therapies themselves treat depression, anxiety and stress disorders. But these also help to develop a good self-esteem, help to improve the expression, acceptance and confrontation of problems and / or diseases. It also helps to improve mood and well-being. That is why they can be applied to all types of population (Cosme, 2013)25 .

Forthepurposesofthisresearch,wewill focus on art therapy, focused on stress, anxiety and depression. Which are defined below:

Stress: It is a physical or mental response to an external cause, be it for example: school, work, some traumatic event or some important change in life. It is a factor that occurs in the short term or suddenly (NIMH, n.d.)26 .

Anxiety: is the body’s reaction to stress or to a situation of uncertainty in the face of a possible threat or event to occur.

22 ATe (Definición de Arteterapia. Asociación Profesional Española de Arteterapeutas, 2006), https://arteterapia.org.es/codigo-etico/#:~:text=2%20 definen%20la%20arteterapia%20como,o%20psicol%C3%B3gicos%20 de%20las%20personas.

23 BAAT (Definición de Arteterapia. Asociación Británica de terapeutas de arte, 1969), https://www.baat.org/About-Art-Therapy.

24 Gete Sabater, María T. (“Terapia Expresiva En Educación Infantil.” Dissertation, Universidad Internacional de La Rioja, 2013).

25 Cosme Ramírez, Mariana, “El Uso Del Arteterapia Como Alternativa Psicoterapéutica En El Área Clínica De La Psicología: Un Estudio De Caso,” (Dissertation, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México 2013).

26 NIMH. (n.d.). “¿Es Estrés o Ansiedad?” National Institute of Mental Health. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, https://www.nimh. nih.gov/health/publications/espanol/estoy-tan-estresado#:~:text=El%2 0estr%C3%A9s%20es%20la%20respuesta,suceder%20repetidamente%20durante%20mucho%20tiempo.

Depression: are the symptoms of sadness, lack of interest, demotivation and frustration. Being these symptoms that do not disappear in a short time, affecting daily activities such as sleeping, eating or working (NIMH, n.d.) 27 .

Depression due to physical illnesses: Depression due to critical life stages:

According to Pilar Domínguez, Ph.D. in Fine Arts and Psychology graduate (2013) 28, there are various types of depression, which are classified and have been treated by art therapy, showing its effectiveness in:

Depression
Depression
due to traumatic external situations:
due to psychic or mental illness:
quironsalud.es
bbmundo.com/ clikisalud.net
Photo by Kampus Production
hackensackmeridianhealth.org blog.uvirtual.org
1 2 3 4 Cancer Old Age Parental Divorce Intellectual Disability Functional Diversity Postpartum Mistreatment and Abuse Schizophrenia 16
Photo by Gianluca Batista Photo by PeopleImages

Art therapy, despite being a concept that has been studied, has not yet been fully explored and lacks information. There are countries like the United States and England where its effectiveness has already been proven, but in many others the benefits of this therapy must be demonstrated and its use promoted. Well, unlike traditional therapies, this is mainly based on a “Triangular Relationship”, developed by the English psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott (2000)29. This relationship is made up of the art therapist, patient and the presence of the work; This is contrary to traditional therapy that is based solely on verbal communication. Art therapy introduces this new agent, this being the work that is performed by the patient. In addition, art therapy, like traditional therapies, interventions can be carried out in the following way: individual, dual, family and group(Cosme,2013)30.Arttherapyhassomuch to contribute that it can be a tool together with psychotherapy to satisfy the needs for therapeutic services that the world is facing.

PATIENT

IMAGE

THERAPIST

27 NIMH. (n.d.). “Depression.” National Institute of Mental Health. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/ topics/depression.

28 Domínguez Toscano, Pilar, “Arteterapia En El Tratamiento De La Depresión: Revisión De La Producción Científica .” Essay. In Arteterapia En El Ámbito De La Salud Mental, (2013) 49–84.

29 Winnicott, D. (2000). Realidad y juego. Barcelona, España: Gedisa

30 Cosme Ramírez, Mariana, “El Uso Del Arteterapia Como Alternativa Psicoterapéutica En El Área Clínica De La Psicología: Un Estudio De Caso,” (Dissertation, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México 2013).

Photo of https://www.bkkkids.com/blog/the-rise-in-popularity-for-art-therapy/

“It is estimated that the world population is affected between 10% and 25% of depression,beingalsothemain causeofsuicides”
- Domínguez, 2013.
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Photo by:Edu Carvalho Photo from: Pexels Edited By: Glorivette Correa

ECOLOGICAL ASPECTS

Where is the problem located? Is the city, or the lack of natural elements, the cause of this problem?

Recognizing the lack of psychological services and that psychotherapy is identified as the main tool to treat mental health problems, we can determine that this is an urgent problem worldwide. The Health Organization itself (2022)31 establishes that half of the world population lives in countries where there is only one psychiatrist for at least every 200,000 inhabitants. In many places there are no formal mental health services and if they do exist, they are inaccessible. Well, mental health can be affected by an endless number of situations in our environment. Whether it is due to problems in the home itself, the climate, the social environment and even the work environment. Other factors, according to the Puerto Rican mental health company INSPIRA32, are the following:

Aesthetics: messy spaces produce anxiety, while order invokes calm.

Sensory: the lighting, temperature, sounds, smells, and colors of an environment influence people’s moods. An example of this is loud and/or excessive noise which can cause anxiety or agitation.

People: Conflicts or unreliable people can be sources of stress.

31 OMS, “Informe Mundial Sobre Salud Mental: Transformar La Salud Mental Para Todos”, 2022, https://www.who.int/es/publications/i/ item/9789240050860.

32 INSPIRA. (2021) “Cómo Tu Ambiente Afecta Tu Salud Mental.” INSPIRA, https://www.inspirapr.com/post/como-tu-ambiente-afecta-tu-salud-mental.

33 Rodríguez, José A. (2013). “La Salud Mental En Las Ciudades.” https://www.consumer.es/salud/la-salud-mental-en-las-ciudades.html.Consumer,

Culture and values: people are sociable beings, not connecting with other people can manifest in feelings of isolation and depression.

Familiarity: Being in new environments with unfamiliar people can bring up feelings of depression and anxiety.

Especially where you live can significantly affect your mental health. Consumer magazine33 talks about research by Jens Pruessner in which he concludes that “living in a city increases the probability of suffering anxiety, depression and stress disorders by 21%.” This compared to people who live in rural areas, since it is in the cities where there is more population density, car traffic, more noise, fast pace of life, lack of green spaces and more pollution. The World Health Organization34 mentions that currently morethanhalfoftheworld’spopulationlivesin cities. And it is then expected that by the year 2030, at least 60% of the population will live in urban areas. Since living in cities also has its advantages, it is in these where there are more job opportunities and there are more health services; this compared to life in the countryside or slightly more rural areas.

34 OMS, “Informe Mundial Sobre Salud Mental: Transformar...”

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Although the simple fact of living in the countryside, surrounded by vegetation does not mean that people do not suffer from these disorders. It is in these areas where higher levels of poverty, limited services, long travel distances and fewer social opportunities can be found; which makes people prone to depression and anxiety. But this is not necessarily a determining factor, since people who live in the countryside or in more isolated areas tend to share the same socioeconomic characteristics, and there is usually greater communication and collaboration between people. This is compared to cities, where there is usually social and labor competition, which increases people’s stress (Grisales, 2018)35. Therefore, the solution to suffer less risk of suffering from a mental problem is not simply to go to live in the country, but that urban conditions should be healthier, there should be more contact with nature.

“...a space can help people heal or make people even sicker.”

Green areas have a beneficial power, the simple fact of seeing vegetation helps to combatcognitivefatigueandstress.Ithasbeen proven that green areas can reduce stress levels by up to 20% (Zamora, 2016)36. Spending time in close proximity to nature can improve

not only the perception of general health and well-being, but also strengthen the immune system. In addition, it increases interaction between people, reduces anxiety and increases self-esteem (Querol, 2022)37. As it has also been proven that nature encourages creativity and makes people less aggressive. However, nature also has its negative effects, because just as it helps to improve the well-being of people, it can also affect them. It is useless to go out for air, if it is contaminated, or to go for a walk through abandoned areas full of garbage. Without a healthy environment, we cannot have stable mental and physical health.

Actually, each space, whether rural or urban, has its own stressors. Although what is clear is that in a certain way cities increase the risk of suffering from a mental problem. Either due to social skills, density, excessive noise or the lack of green areas. It is then that art, together with nature and architecture, become part of the solution to remedy the problem.

“...sometimes all it takes is a momentary change of environment.”

35 Grisales, Paula, “Para Tener Una Mente Sana, ¿Mejor El Campo O La Ciudad?” Revista Pesquisa Javeriana, (2018) https://www.javeriana.edu.co/ pesquisa/para-tener-una-mente-sana-mejor-el-campo-o-la-ciudad/.

36 Zamora, Mey, “Por Qué El Diseño Urbano y La Salud Mental Deben Ir De La Mano.” La Vanguardia, 2016, https://www.lavanguardia.com/vivo/ciudad/20160823/403986990529/ciudad-diseno-urbano-salud-psicologia. html.

37 Querol, Mireia. (2022) “Beneficios De La Naturaleza Para Tu Salud Mental y Física.” Biologueando, https://www.biologueando.com/beneficios-naturaleza-salud/.

Car Traffic Population Density Noise

“living in a city increases the probability of suffering from anxiety, depression and stress disorders by 21%”. - Jens Pruessner

Photo by Ricardo Ortiz Photo by Craig Adderley Photo by Lübna Abdullah Photo by Ricardo Esquivel Photo by LT Chan Photo by Skitterphoto
of life
Accelerated pace
Lack of green spaces Pollution
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Photo by: Cottonbro Photo from: Pexels Edited By: Glorivette Correa

ECONOMIC ASPECTS

How do mental health problems, along with the lack of psychological services, affect the economy?

Mental health problems affect millions of people. When proper treatment is not received, this could become a mental disorder that not only affects people emotionally, but also affects their normal functioning. Usually it is not given enough attention, the symptoms are overlooked, until they begin to interfere with daily life and even until these problems begin to become a disability. The World Health Organization (2004)38 describes mental health as “a state of well-being in which the individual is aware of his own abilities, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his community.” . And that is precisely the consequence of when mental problemsbecomeadisabilityfortheindividual, since the economy, both personally and in general, is affected.

The World Health Organization (2022)39 talks about the economic consequences of mental disorders, since low productivity and indirect costs to society often exceed the costs of general health care. An example, if we talk about the schizophrenia disorder, it is proven that approximately 1 in 200 adults suffer from this disease. In economic terms, this is the most expensive disorder per person. However, despite the fact that depressive and anxiety disorders are less costly per person, they are

38 OMS (2004). Invertir en Salud Mental, Ginebra, Suiza.

39 OMS, “Un Informe De La Oms Pone De Relieve El Déficit...” (2021) https:// www.who.int/es/news/item/08-10-2021-who-report-highlights-globalshortfall-in-investment-in-mental-health.

40 OMS, “Un Informe De La Oms Pone De Relieve El Déficit...”

more frequent, so it largely affects national spending. If we compare this with the WHO figures from 2013, where it was estimated that at least 151 million people in the world suffer from depression and some 26 million people suffer from schizophrenia, we see trulyalarmingfigurescomparedtotheestimates that countries are giving to the mental health system.

Well, mental disorders are expensive and governments to deal with this problem are providing countries with only or less than 2% of the budgets allocated to the health sector. This is why there has been a notorious deterioration of the mental health system, since it lacks information, research, resources and services. Well, a large part of the budget is directed to other diseases and they forget that mental health is also important (WHO, 2022)40. Suffering from these disorders can affect not only the productivity of individuals, but also can unleash physical problems, such as the difficulty of doing daily tasks such as eating, sleeping, getting out of bed and among others. That causes people to become less efficient.

Resources to treat these conditions are insufficient, in “high-income countries, between 35% to 50% of people with severe

24

mental disorders do not receive adequate treatment.” While in low-income countries up to 85% of people do not have access to any treatment (Sarmiento, 2017)41. Services are not only scarce, but in many countries they are not even covered by health insurance, which makes it even more difficult to receive help. So weseehowthedemandfortreatmentsexceeds the supply of these and how the lack of these services. The time in which people go without receiving help, the disease continues to worsen and this is seen in the impact of the level of functioning of people (Sarmiento, 2017)42

The economic impact is reflected in personal income, the ability of people to work and make contributions to the national economy. Well, people with mental health problems not only have the difficulty of obtaining a job, but also of keeping them. Well, suffering from thesediseases,relapses,poorperformanceand absenteeism, not only affects the person but alsoaffectstheemployer.“IntheUnitedStates, it is estimated that 59% of the economic costs due to loss of productivity are due to mental health problems, even if a person is not absent from work” (WHO, 2004)43. According to the 2022 Global Health Care Outlook report by the financial company Deloitte, between 2011 and 2030, a loss of economic output associated with global mental health is expected of up to 16.3 billion dollars. It is even expected that the

direct and indirect costs of poor mental health exceed 4% of global GDP (gross domestic product), a high figure compared to the combined costs of cancer, diabetes and respiratory diseases (Vera, 2022)44. Health costs are divided in three ways (Palma, 2010)45 :

Direct costs: the cost of personnel, medicines, medical equipment and real estate.

Tangible indirect costs: loss or gain in productivity.

Indirect intangible costs: pain, suffering and uncertainty.

Mental health is essential for human development, this should be recognized as equally important as other diseases, also providing a larger budget to provide the necessary services. Investing in mental health helps social and economic development. This is exactly what the World Health Organization Comprehensive Action Plan for 2030 proposes. Countries start to invest more in this sector, promote these services and deepen the value of mental health. This transformation must be a contribution from not only governments, but this must include health care providers, non-governmental organizations, employers, and society in general. Everyone’s collaboration is needed to provide a favorable environment for transformation.

41 Sarmiento Suárez, M.J. “Salud Mental y desarrollo. Medicina.” 39, 3 (sep. 2017), 246–254 https://www.revistamedicina.net/index.php/Medicina/article/view/118-7

42 Sarmiento Suárez, M.J. “Salud Mental y ...”

43 OMS (2004). Invertir en Salud Mental, Ginebra, Suiza.

44 Vera, J. (2022). “El Impacto De La Salud Mental En La Economía Global” PlantaDoce. https://www.plantadoce.com/entorno/el-impacto-de-la-salud-mental-en-la-economia-global-16300-millones-de-euros-\de-perdidas-entre-2011-y-2030.html.

45 Palma Cortés, Mauricio. (2010). “Economía De La Salud Mental”Review of Punto de vista. El Residente 5, no. 1, 9–13. https://www.medigraphic. com/cgi-bin/new/resumen.cgi?DARTICULO=24105.

Share of population with mental health disorders, 2019: This includes depression, anxiety, bipolar, eating disorders and schizophrenia. Due to the widespread under-diagnosis, these estimates use a combination of sources, including medical and national records, epidemiological data, survey data, and meta regression models.

Chart from https://ourworldindata.org/mental-health

Worldwide mental health is alarming, where more cases have been registered are:

Spain Canada

United States of AmericaThe Caribbean

Australia Among others Latin American countries

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Photo by: Tima Miroshnichenko Photo from: Pexels Edited By: Glorivette Correa

THEORETICAL ASPECTS

How architecture, along with art, can help remedy the problem?

Architectureispartofthesevenfinearts, soperhapsarchitectureitselfcouldbe,together with art, a healing tool? Being the main concept ofarttherapyatriangularrelationshipbetween the patient, the work and the therapist; the SouthAfricanarchitectManthekiKarabo,inher dissertation: Holistic Therapy: The Antidote: Art and Architecture, likens this relationship to an architect’s thinking when designing a building. Turning this triangular relationship into:

ARCHITECTURE

ART SOCIETY

The architect mentions that: “We need to liberate the limits of the rules of the art and explore the therapeuticqualitiesthatcanenhanceall of us. Art, whether in the performing arts (acting, dancing, singing), painting/sculpture, cooking, or even gardening is a form of meditation where thecreatorisintunewiththeircenter.In this sense, art is a spirit that one unconsciously experiences with a sense of healing” (Karabo, 2011)46 .

46 Karabo Mafisa, Mantheki. (“Holistic Therapy: The Antidote: Art and Architecture.” Dissertation, 2011),

47 Karabo Mafisa, Mantheki. (“Holistic Therapy: The Antidote...”)

During her research, she searches for a relationship between the healing qualities of art and architecture as a healing space; the architect Karaba opts for the following key objectives when choosing a place and as concepts for the architectural intervention (Karabo, 2011) 47:

Retrospect space, the space should be comfortable and a reflection of oneself.

The site must be part of the city, but at the same time it must be separated from the most trafficked areas, since these move at a very fast pace, causing a lot of noise.

In the same way, the site must be able to connect with the public transport system, for easy access by people who are looking for a place for healing.

Connection with nature, a physical and visual link with nature has positive beneficial qualities that aid in healing and overall health.

Natural sunlight kills harmful bacteria and cleanses the air. Natural light gives a space a sensual character that gives the space an emotional quality that can be felt by the end user.

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Our physical environment affects the way we feel and react. Considering that the spaces and places that appeal to the senses are remembered and become part of the user, the empty and deserted places in the city must be healed and given a target.

While the graduate in Fine Arts, Art Therapist and co-founder of ATE (Spanish Association of Art Therapy) Montse Omenat (2006)48 mentions that in art therapy practice as such, there is no specific space that meets all the appropriate conditions to provide these therapies. However, he affirms that the space should stimulate expressive behaviour, where patients are not afraid of staining the place and in which they can experiment and reflect. Omenat describes a closed space, so that “external attributions do not interfere in the creative process”, so this place must be conditioned with ventilation, have an adequate temperature and have inclusive furniture for all types of patients. The place must also have a materials cleaning area, a reception area, a space for exhibition or drying of works, and a storage area for both materials and works, as well as for clinical records. The studio should have two differentiated areas, one being for work and the other the space to exhibit and discuss the work done (López, 2009)49 .

Art therapy can take place in a variety of settings, such as: art studios, community centers, hospitals, private therapy offices, wellness centers, shelters, and among others(Cherry,2021)50.A(built)exampleofthis is the Emily Cooper Welty Expressive Therapy Center located at Akron Children’s Hospital in Ohio, United States. The hospital uses visual arts and music to transform the clinical environment and create opportunities for children to express themselves and connect. Among the goals of these treatments within the hospital are: reducing the perception of pain, treating anxiety, social stimulation and promoting expression.

Another example (design proposal) is the project that corresponds to an Art Therapy Center,theareachosenforthisprojectislocated in the municipality of Cruz Alta in the state of Rio Grande, Brazil. The center will promote a “therapeutic environment that would use artistic practices as a form of expression and treatment of psychological conflicts.” The author of this project, Alanna Göttens (2021)51, talks about the growing importance of maintaining mental health and how alternative therapeutic centers are increasingly necessary to meet this demand. When choosing a site, Göttens looks for the place to have easy access to the roads that connect to the largest medical centers. At the same time, look for the place to provide

48 Omenat García, M. (2006). Arteterapia: una experiencia de grupos de apoyo a mujeres. Arteterapia. Papeles de arteterapia y educación artística para la inclusión social, 1,137-148.https://revistas.ucm.es/index.php/ARTE/ article/view/ARTE0606110137A

49 López M. (2009). La intervención Arteterapeutica y su Metodología en el contexto profesional Español. Tesis Doctoral. Universidad de Murcia: Departamento de expresión plástica, música y dinámica.

50 Cherry,Kendra.(2021).“HowArtTherapyWorks.”VerywellMind.https:// www.verywellmind.com/what-is-art-therapy-2795755#:~:text=Art%20 Therapy%20Can%20Take%20Place,Art%20studios.

51 Göttens Bigolin, Alanna. (2021) “Centro De Arteterapia.” Prêmio IAB RS, https://premioiabrs.org.br/projetos/centro-de-arteterapia/.

52 Göttens Bigolin, Alanna. (2021) “Centro De Arteterapia...”

privacy, tranquility and should encourage contact with nature and the pure air. The center will function as an alternative therapeutic center, offering private and group sessions. It will also have outdoor areas with free access for visitors and indoor exhibition and rest areas (Göttens, 2021)52 .

The idea of implementing these concepts is to get rid of the traditional stigmas of what healing spaces and hospitals should be like. Well, it has been proven that “a space can help heal or make people even sicker.” I understand that all of the aforementioned are concepts and principles that can be used to solve the problem of generating healing spaces focused on creative or alternative therapies. This being the objective of this research.

Photo of https://www.akronchildrens.org/departments/Expressive-Therapy.html Photo of https://premioiabrs.org.br/projetos/centro-de-arteterapia/ Emily Cooper Welty Expressive Therapy Center located at Children’s Hospital Akron in Ohio, United States.
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Art Therapy Center, in the municipality of Cruz Alta in the state of Rio Grande, Brazil. Project by Alanna Göttens

INTERVIEWS

For the purposes of this research, 3 interviews were conducted, with an art therapist, a music therapist and a dance therapist; all three studied their specialty at universities in the United States and are currently residing and practicing their professions in Puerto Rico. Ten questions related to mental health in general, mental health in Puerto Rico, and creative-artistic therapies were asked.

Some of these questions were:

What do you think of the mental health system in Puerto Rico?

Do you think that in Puerto Rico it is necessary to promote the use of other therapy alternatives?

Are there spaces in Puerto Rico dedicated to creative-artistic therapies such as art therapy, music therapy or dance therapy?

Some conclusions:

Puerto Rico’s mental health is archaic and traditional compared to the systems of other countries.

In Puerto Rico there are currently very few or no places that have the conditions to provide creative-artistic therapies. And if these therapies are given, they are in the metro area.

There are very few certified therapists in these branches; and it is not studied here in Puerto Rico either. When people decide to study these careers, they move to the United States and usually stay there for the best opportunities.

The spaces to provide these therapies should elude people without much sensory stimulation. They should be a cozy and neutral spaces. They must also have a free floor and inclusive furniture.

UraniaDomínguez Arttherapist AmarillisVázquez Dance&Movement therapist AdrianaLizardi Musictherapist

CONCLUSION

Recognizing the lack of psychological assistance as well as the need for alternative therapies, this research finds art as the main resource to satisfy this problem. This through creative-artistic therapies, which use the arts to treat patients. For this, a therapy center focused mainly on stress, anxiety and depression is proposed. It is intended that this be an inclusive place by treating a diversity of patients from infants to older adults with different conditions and diagnoses.

This proposal seeks to respond to these needs by seeking to create a place where not only these alternative therapies are provided, but also a place that provides tranquility, security and confidence. Where when people enter, they feel the comfort they need to heal and rehabilitate. For this, it is sought that the architecture itself responds accordingly, proposing an architecture that together with art and nature coexist to generate a space of serenity, harmony and that promotes expression. Through its materiality and variety of spaces. To achieve this in the investigation it is concluded to create a Wellness Center specialized in creative-artistic therapies. Where its main function is the four main parts (art, music, dance and drama), but also provides the opportunity to give other alternative therapies such as yoga and meditation.

Following one of the criteria of the architect Karabo, “Healing Dead Spaces” seeks for the placetocollaboratewiththeexistingcommunity,notbeingaplacethatisinhibited,butrather,that seeks to integrate and help the community. Since it is understood that this is where more people can be reached, who can be educated about the importance of maintaining stable mental health, and that it is bad for us to seek help when needed.

This is important to stress not only globally, but also in our own homes, communities, and everyday environments. Psychological services should be within easy reach and must be inclusive. For this reason, this research focuses on Puerto Rico, which, according to what was analyzed, is one of the countries with the highest incidence of mental problems and with serious problems in satisfying the need for psychological services. Well, its mental health system is archaic compared to the systems of other countries, it is traditional and there is a shortage of professionals on the island. For this reason it is determined necessary to propose this type of project on the island, where its need is proven.

32

ANTECEDENTS

Art and Music Therapy

Center by Nattawoot

The aims of this thesis are to study how art and performing art are used as a traumatic process, and how could architecture help improve these processes. Office workers have been suffering from stress and anxiety for centuries, especially those who work in a big city like Bangkok.

The art and music therapy intervention and architecture should be integrated, providing a space for simply reduce

stress and anxiety for office workers, and specifically healing depressive disorder patients. The architecture aims to provide a place for rehabilitation, different type of expressive arttherapyspaces,andprogramsalongsidemusic therapy programs. An architecture should support three-stage of privacy as depressive disorder treatment space should be the most private space, followed by rehabilitation space for simply reduce stress and public activities of art and music for people in the area.

Photos of https://soad.kmutt.ac.th/work/art-and-music-therapy-center/
34
Thesis Project 2020SoA+D School of Architecture and Design, Thailand

PHASE II:

The global mental health system is DETERIORATING, so much that a large part of the population suffering from a mental disorder does NOT receive the necessary treatment or any type of help, due to lack of information, insecurity, fear of discrimination or LACK OF SERVICES. While the population served is LIMITED TO A GENERAL TRADITIONAL TREATMENT, which in many cases is not the help they need.

PROBLEM: OBJECTIVES:

Mental health will have become the main health problem intheworld.

2019

As the COVID-19 pandemic begins anxiety and depression increased to more than 25%.

As the number of suicides increased.

EXPAND the traditional medicine market, by developing new spaces that focus on providing other treatment alternatives, such as creative - artistic therapies.

EXPLORE the architectural capabilities that can be achieved together with ART & NATURE, to meet the appropriate conditions in a space to provide these therapies.

APPLY architectural aspects that promote healing, as well as the very CONCEPT OF ART.

IDEA:

Through the project I seek to create a Wellness Center focused on creative-artistic therapies and where other alternative therapies are also provided. Where the center of attention is art as a means of healing and a tool of expression. I want it to be a place where anyone feels safe to express themselves and trust that there are treatment options. In addition to the fact that it collaborates with the existing community, not being a place that isolates itself, but one that seeks to integrate and help the community.

I will be a place of peace, not only in terms of the environment, but from the architecture itself.

2030

LOCATION FOCUS: Puerto Rico

In Puerto Rico the number of people with mental problems continues to rise. Many people don’t have access to these services and there aren’t enough professionals to satisfy the need for psychological consultations.

Registered patients with a mental problem: (According to the Department of Health of Puerto Rico) 57%

43% Male Female 114,521 Patients =

Percentages of patients with a mental health problem registered in the potential locations. (According to the Department of Health of Puerto Rico).

Arecibo: Patients Arecibo Region: Patients

9.9% 15.2%

Humacao: Patients Caguas Region: Patients 3.5%

Ponce: Patients

2.2% 1.5% 10.9%

Ponce Region: Patients

NSITE SELECTION CRITERIA

Criteria according to the South African architect Mantheki Karabo: (Holistic Therapy: The Antidote: Art and Architecture)

Connection with the CITY:

Thesitemustbeseparatedfromthemosttraffickedareas,away from noise, but should be able to connect with a public transport system.

Connection with the NATURE:

Physical and visual bond with nature.

Opportunity to impact a community, through the development of empty, abandoned or deserted spaces.

Healing of DEAD SPACES:

Connection to SELF:

It must be a comfortable place that provides privacy and tranquility.

1 2 3 4 38

POSSIBLE

Site aprox. sq. ft. 155,000 Land Classification: SU

Current Status: LevelGround Flood Zone: X Commercial Churches Residential Area

ARECIBO HUMACAO

Site aprox. sq. ft. 324,000 Land Classification: SU

Current Status: LevelGround Flood Zone: A

Population: 87,754

Commercial Schools Residential Area

LOCATIONS:
Specialized School of Fine Arts Vocational High School SITE SITE SITE SITE -
-
Jose de Diego Highway Ave.SanLuis 653 highway 653 highway Ave.Industrial A St Ave.Industrial Ave.Industrial Av e. Cruz Or tiz Blvd. Nicanor Vazquez Dr. Vidal St CruzOrtizDetour ATLANTIC
Population: 50,896
OCEAN

Site aprox. sq. ft. 161,600 Land Classification: SU

Current Status: Abandoned Past use: Commercial Flood Zone: AE(1.5’) Public Transportation System: SITRAS Population: 137,491

SITRAS route Flood Hazard Zone Church Commercial Schools Residential Area

FINAL SITE SELECTION: Ponce
Dr. Alfredo Aguayo School
BAY OF PONCE N Ave. Hostos Ave.PadreNoel
A. Ferré Highway Ave. E duardo Ruberte
Insolina Ferré Center Passive Park Enrique González
Salvador Dijols Coliseum
Luis
Sor
Ave.Hostos Ave.PadreNoel
Salvador Dijols Coliseum
Companies
Trinity
P.R. SITE 40
Ferré
Building
College of
ARCHITECTURAL PROGRAM: ENTRY Outdoor Theater ART THERAPY DANCE THERAPY MUSIC THERAPY PUBLIC PARK PARKING Small Shops ADMIN. Offices Lobby / Reception Conference Room Clinical Records Staff Records Exam. Room Exam. Room Exam. Room Locker Room Locker Room Cleaning Area Instruments Storage Instruments Storage Storage Cleaning Area Therapy Gallery Individual Session Individual Session Group Session Group Session Dancing Room DRAMA THERAP
cker Room DRAMA THERAPY THEATER PARKING Community Workshops Public Gallery Exam. Room Storage Experimental Theater WELLNESS CENTER Specialized in Creative-Artistic Therapies THERAPEUTIC PROGRAM OVERALL PUBLIC AMENITIES RETREAT EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION 6% 7% 40% 86,360 sq.ft. 29% 18% Bubble Diagram Analysis 42
ARCHITECTURAL PROGRAM: CREATIVE ARTISTIC THERAPIES QTY SQF SUBTOTAL SUBTOTAL 15,920 ART THERAPY ART THERAPY PEDIATRIC Examination Room Individual Session Drawing Painting Sculpting Group Session Drawing Painting Sculpting Materials Cleaning Area Gallery Therapy Storage Examination Room Individual Session Drawing Painting Sculpting Group Session Drawing Painting Sculpting Materials Cleaning Area Gallery Therapy Storage 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 3 160 100 100 100 1,600 1,600 1,600 50 2,000 200 160 100 100 100 1,600 1,600 1,600 50 2,000 200 SUBTOTAL SUBTOTAL 160 300 100 100 100 4,800 1,600 1,600 1,600 100 2,000 600 7,960 160 300 100 100 100 4,800 1,600 1,600 1,600 100 2,000 600 7,960
SUBTOTAL 7,470 MUSIC THERAPY MUSIC THERAPY PEDIATRIC
Room Individual Session
Music Music Relaxation Group Session
Composing Music Drumming Music Relaxation Instruments Storage
Room
Session
Relaxation Group Session
Drumming
Relaxation Instruments Storage 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 160 200 200 200 650 650 650 300 400 160 200 200 200 600 600 600 300 400 SUBTOTAL SUBTOTAL 160 600 200 200 200 2,250 650 650 650 300 800 3,810 160 600 200 200 200 2,250 600 600 600 300 800 3,660 CREATIVE ARTISTIC THERAPIES QTY SQF SUBTOTAL SUBTOTAL 23,390 44
Examination
Singing Composing
Singing
Examination
Individual
Singing Composing Music Music
Singing Composing Music
Music
CREATIVE ARTISTIC THERAPIES PSYCHOTHERAPY QTY SQF SUBTOTAL DANCE THERAPY DRAMA THERAPY DANCE THERAPY PEDIATRIC Examination Room Dancing Room Locker Room Storage Examination Room Experimental Theater Locker Room Storage Examination Room Dancing Room Locker Room Storage 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 160 1,000 100 200 160 3,600 100 200 160 1,000 200 200 SUBTOTAL SUBTOTAL SUBTOTAL 160 1,000 100 200 1,460 160 3,600 100 200 4,060 160 1,000 200 200 1,560 SUBTOTAL SUBTOTAL 3,020 4,060 Examination Room Individual Session Group Session 2 1 1 160 600 800 SUBTOTAL 320 600 800 1,700
ALTERNATIVE EXPRESSIVE THERAPIES EDUCATION QTY SQF SUBTOTAL Examination Room Play Therapy Aromatherapy Yoga and Meditation Locker Room Storage 3 1 1 1 1 3 160 650 650 2,000 100 200 SUBTOTAL 160 650 650 2,000 100 600 4,160 Administration Art Classroom Materials Cleaning Area Storage Music Classroom Instrument Storage Dance Classroom Locker Room Storage Theater Classroom Locker Room Storage 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 200 1,000 50 200 1,000 300 1,500 200 200 1,000 200 200 SUBTOTAL 200 1,000 50 200 1,000 300 1,500 200 200 1,000 200 200 6,050 SUBTOTAL 18,990 46
Lobby / Reception Office Therapists Offices Conference Room Staff Room Clinical Records 1 1 7 1 1 1 1,360 160 160 400 330 160 SUBTOTAL 1,360 160 1,120 400 330 160 3,530 CENTER ADMINISTRATION INTENSIVE CREATIVE RETREAT QTY SQF SUBTOTAL Administration Lodging Double Rooms with bathrooms Private Rooms with bathrooms Workshops Dance & Music Art with Gallery Creative writing & lectures Materials Cleaning Area Dining Room with kitchen Common Space Small Activities Room Bathrooms Storage Mech. & Elect. Room 1 10 6 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 4200 400 240 1,000 1,000 650 50 1,500 2,500 2,500 280 200SUBTOTAL 200 5,440 4,000 1,440 2,700 1,000 1,000 650 50 1,500 2,500 2,500 280 40015,520 SUBTOTAL 20,980
Public Gallery Theater Outdoor Theater Library Cafeteria Community Workshops Small Shops for Rent Storages Mech.& Elec. Room Media Room Janitor Bathrooms Loading and unloading area Parking 2 1 1 1 3 4---2,000 10,000 3,000 2,000 1,700 1,100 500---SUBTOTAL SUBTOTAL 4,000 10,000 3,000 2,000 1,700 3,300 2,000 26,000---PUBLIC AMENITIES SERVICES & PARKING QTY SQF SUBTOTAL GROSS TOTAL TOTAL (+15%) 86,360 sq.ft. 99,314 sq.ft. SUBTOTAL 26,000 48

STAKEHOLDERS:

Anyone seeking for mental help:

Expressive or creative therapies help all kinds of population, regardless of age, race, social class or disability or condition you suffer from.

Government Entities:

Government entities with the capital to invest, and/or promote the use of creative or expressive therapies.

Non-profit Entities:

Non-profit entities that help provide psychological help or resources for people.

Private Entities:

Private entities with the capital to invest, and/or promote the use of creative or expressive therapies..

50

PHASE III:

STRATEGIES & CONCEPT:

2. 1.

Get out of the traditional form. Move away from the surrounding buildings and the street, to create a vegetal buffer to avoid the noise and the fast-paced life, but still being within “the city”.

3. 4.

Open towards the public, inviting people to enter.

Provide private, semi-private, semi-public and public spaces.

Central space where the arts and nature are manifested.

Open towards natural views through different heights. 5.
6.

Sketches and Form Analysis:

General Concept: Concept:

UTIC
ART FLUENCY & HARMONY = AMENITIES THERAPE
ADMIN.
54
BUILDINGMASS
PROGRAMMED VOLUMETRY Outdoor
FloorPlan Level1 FloorPlan Level2 FloorPlan Level3 THERAPEUTIC PUBLICAMENITIES ADMINISTRATION Volumetricaprox. 59,500 sq. ft.
Theater
PROPOSAL 1: ARECIBO Building Mass and Analysis: Site plan Analysis: ASt N N ARTISTIC-CREATIVE THERAPIES ARTISTIC-CREATIVE THERAPIES ALT.-EXPRESSIVE THERARAPIES THEATHER WORKSHOPS Section: 56
Building Mass and Analysis: Site plan Analysis: Section: Specialized School of Fine Arts Vocational High School N Ave.Industrial N ADMINISTRATION ALT. EXPR. THERAPIES ART. -CREAR.THERAPIES ART. -CREAR.THERAPIES
PROPOSAL 2: HUMACAO
PROPOSAL 3: PONCE Building Mass and Analysis:
N Ave.Hostos N Site plan Analysis: ARTISTIC-CREATIVE THERAPIES ARTISTIC-CREATIVE THERAPIES ALT.-EXPRESSIVE THERARAPIES THEATHER WORKSHOPS Section: 58
Ferré Companies Building Trinity College of P.R.

PHASE IV:

SCHEMATIC PROPOSALS

Thesis Schematic Proposal:

The central space where the arts are manifested is formed or surrounded by the buildings.

Antithesis Schematic Proposal:

The central space where the arts are manifested is embedded in the building, where in a certain way the structure itself directs you to this center.

62
N 64

THESIS SCHEMATIC PROPOSAL

NOT TO SCALE 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 HH PEDIAT DRAMA THERA THEATER PUBLIC
PARKING-
GALLERY PARKING

EDIATRIC RAMA HERAPY

KING N 66
SCHEMATIC
20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 AA CC DD 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 FF GG EE HH DRAMA THERAPY DANCE THERAPY BB THEATER PUBLIC GALLERY GALLERY WORKSHOPS YOGA & MEDITATION AROMA THERAPY Thesis Schematic First Floor Plan NOT TO SCALE
THESIS
PROPOSAL

INTENSIVE CREATIVE RETREAT

20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 AA CC DD 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 BB
Thesis Schematic Second Floor Plan NOT TO SCALE N 68

THESIS SCHEMATIC PROPOSAL

Thesis Schematic Section A-A

B-B 70
Thesis Schematic Section

THESIS SCHEMATIC PROPOSAL

Thesis Schematic North Elevation

Thesis Schematic West Elevation

72

THESIS SCHEMATIC PROPOSAL

Thesis Schematic South Elevation Thesis Schematic East Elevation
74

THESIS SCHEMATIC PROPOSAL

Thesis Schematic 3D
View
76

ANTITHESIS SCHEMATIC PROPOSAL

NOT
Antithesis Schematic Site Plan
TO SCALE
N 78

ANTITHESIS SCHEMATIC PROPOSAL

Antithesis Schematic Ground Floor Plan
Public Galler
NOT
TO SCALE
N 80
Public Gallery

ANTITHESIS SCHEMATIC PROPOSAL

Art Therapy Pediatric

Theater Public Galley

Dance & Drama Therapy

Music Therapy Pediatric

Antithesis
DN 1 2 B A C D F G H J L M N O P Q R S T U
Schematic First Floor Plan NOT TO SCALE
3 4 6

Art Therapy

Music Therapy

Antithesis Schematic Second Floor Plan NOT TO SCALE N 1 2 B A C D F G H
J 3
I
82

ANTITHESIS SCHEMATIC PROPOSAL

Antithesis Schematic Section A-A

Antithesis
Section B-B 84
Schematic

ANTITHESIS SCHEMATIC PROPOSAL

Antihesis Schematic North Elevation

Antithesis Schematic West Elevation

86

ANTITHESIS SCHEMATIC PROPOSAL

Antithesis Schematic South Elevation Antithesis Schematic East Elevation
88

ANTITHESIS SCHEMATIC PROPOSAL

Antihesis Schematic 3D View
90

REFERENCES

AAP (2015). “Niños con Discapacidad Intelectual.” HealthyChildren.org. Academia Americana de Pediatría. https://www.healthychildren.org/Spanish/health-issues/conditions/ Developmental-disabilities/Paginas/Intellectual-Disability.aspx.

ATe (2006). Definición de Arteterapia. Asociación Profesional Española de Arteterapeutas. https://arteterapia.org.es/codigo-etico/#:~:text=2%20definen%20la%20arteterapia%20co mo,o%20psicol%C3%B3gicos%20de%20las%20personas.

BAAT (1969). Definición de Arteterapia. Asociación Británica de terapeutas de arte. https://www.baat.org/About-Art-Therapy.

Bonilla, Daniel. (2019) “La Arquitectura También Sana.” Semana. https://www.semana.com/contenidos-editoriales/salud-buen-pronostico-/articulo/impacto-de-la-arquitectura-en-la-salud-y-recuperacion-de-los-pacientes/643198/

Cherry, Kendra. (2021). “How Art Therapy Works.” Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind. com/what-is-art-therapy-2795755#:~:text=Art%20Therapy%20Can%20Take%20 Place,Art%20studios.

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Art is not only a contemplation, it is also an act, and all acts change the world, at least a little.
- Tony Kusher
“ ”

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