Clean living by Abdulaziz Al-totti

Clean Living

Group#1 : Xavier Barnett Thomas Aplin Zane Cliff Alistair Teagle Abdulaziz Altoti

CONTENTS: What is Co-Living ?

Chapter 1 : Hill House Xavier Barnett

06-13

1-Ownership and Sharing 06-07 2-Co-Health - Youth Rehabilitation 08-09 3-Design rational 10-13

Chapter 2 : The Commune 14-23 Thomas Aplin

1-Livng Spaces 2-Odyssey House 3-Art, Design and Media 4-Design rational

14-15 16-17 18-19 20-23

Chapter 3 : ILAP Centre 24-31 Zane Cliff

1-Co-Living and Wellbeing 24-25 2-Adelaide Pre-Release Centre (APC) 26-27 3-Design rational 28-31

Chapter 4 : Circumstance 32-37

1-Co-Living and Wellbeing 32-33 2-Adelaide Pre-Release Centre (APC) 34-35 3-Design rational 36-37

Alistair Teagle a

Co-Living :

The co-living housing model has been seeing a rapid rise in popularity in recent years. While the inherent social and communal aspects of co-living are attractive, its rise in popularity is undoubtedly related to increasing concerns of housing affordability and living space. In addition to direct savings on rent, co-living offers more indirect savings such as the sharing of utilities, household supplies, groceries and transport. Essentially, Co-living is in high demand as it enables its occupants to live in newly furnished spaces with a range of amenities at an affordable cost. Co living is financially beneficial as a method of housing as it uses the economy of scale to generate profit. An equivalent example would be an office workspace, as they use a similar principle in providing services to their employees. Rather than providing each of their employeeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s their own personal workspace, toilet, electricity, internet connection and sanitation, the majority of businesses find it more efficient to invest in creating commercial office workspaces. By sharing necessary resources amongst employees in a designated space rather than providing them individually, businesses are able to drastically cut the expenses of providing those services to their employees. Co-living works in a similar fashion, with occupants sharing facilities such as kitchens, bathrooms, electricity, etc. for a far cheaper expense. This economic efficiency makes co-living an appealing prospect from a tenant and manager standpoint, as the facilities are easier to afford and cheaper to maintain. This economic efficiency is particularly important for our project, as it makes the prospect of providing the resources and support the tenants will need. By utilising the Co-living housing model, the project can afford to supply its occupants with newly furnished spaces with a range of amenities at an affordable cost allowing more people access to state-of-the-art facilities during their recovery.

Introduction : Sharing Model Brief:

Clean Living is a government funded initiative that aims to achieve a progressive drug rehabilitation program in a manner that fosters social interaction and independence through varying support methods. These residences of Clean Living will be members of a co-living model that allows for their rehabilitative experience to be a means of reintegration with society through learning essential skills provided by the facility, while also developing meaningful relationships with other members to further facilitate their rehabilitation.

Ownership and Sharing Despite the overall ownership of Clean Living being the Government of South Australia, members will be responsible for maintaining both their shared and private spaces in order to encourage skill development and develop a sense of responsibility for the space. This will result in the requirement for shared cleaning responsibility of public spaces such as the Kitchen, Living Rooms and other such facilities. This will promote some of the essential skills that will be required for members once they leave Clean Living.

Privacy and Publicity

Private and Communal spaces are essential to the design process of the Clean Living initiative, with the unanimous decision for a clear division in public and private spaces. These private spaces included individual bedrooms and bathrooms in order to prevent a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;prison vibeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, however beside these residential areas, the rest of Clean Living is completely communal, where residences can pursue social interactions and develop the sense of community to the facility. These elements limit isolation in the community without removing the residence sense of independence.

Community Initiatives Due to the rehabilitative nature of Clean Living, certain drug related initiatives are seen as compulsive in order to treat the affliction that the members suffer from. This would include meetings that aimed to compel sharing amongst the community as a means to strengthen the bond between each of the members. Recreational activities are also essential to providing a thriving community, each of which would be planned by the community, including cooking, gardening, exercise and similar activities.

Social Mix: The final social mix of Clean Living has been decided as a 60-40 Male / Female split, among the adult population of the centre. This is representative of the current numbers in the rehabilitation system in Australia, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. It is key that the population on the inside is representative of that of the outside. We aim to maintain a social breakdown that consists of 55% families and 30% individuals. While the facility accommodates everyone, it is first and foremost a family-based rehabilitation experiment. The remaining 15% is attributed to children standalone, that are aided by staff and professionals in their own rehabilitation process.

While support staff are not included in the percentage of inhabitants due to their non-permanent status, we aim to maintain 1 staff member for every 5 inhabitants, providing close and accessible aid at all times. This is regardless of the amount of inhabitants, and Clean Living will strive to employ more people to maintain consistency with the demand curve. The staff consist of Doctors (2 Psychiatrists and 2 General Practitioners), a team of 3 Psychologists, 5 administration staff and a contracted janitorial team. The team will work in shifts, allowing inhabitants to have access to support around the clock, to aid in a time of crisis.

We understand that many drug related problems stem from not having a cohesive nuclear family unit, so the term â&#x20AC;&#x153;familyâ&#x20AC;? is interpreted at the individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s discretion. This means that the individual is able to rehabilitate with anyone related that can provide a support network for them. This is included in the 55% target for family.

Hill House

Chapter 1:

06 Ch:1

Ownership and Sharing: Private ownership is still key to our proposal. The individual has a right to their own personal living space for them and their significant other(s), whether that be a partner, family or both. We believe that one of the most important elements to rehabilitation is that of personal ownership and self-responsibility. We do however understand that sharing and dividing ownership amongst the population of the facility is crucial to the rehabilitation of the participants. Everyone is at all times entitled to their own bedroom for themselves and family (if applicable). This right remains uncompromised and we believe this is key to rehabilitation being successful. Bathroom spaces also coincide with this, allowing everyone to have that private space (as this is essentially a self-driven rehabilitation centre). Dining and kitchen spaces will be shared, as this is instrumental to community-based rehabilitation. The facility provides ingredients and shared cooking facilities as part of the low subsidised cost, and we believe that cooking (and the challenges that go hand in hand with cooking for a number of people) is an essential skill that participants can use as rehabilitation and as a skill they can build up over time as part of their rehabilitation. The idea behind this is to encourage collaboration and communication between members of the facility, a skill that is also crucial in the workforce or study, where we are essentially encouraging participants to seek post rehabilitation.

The participants are entitled to their own personal possessions. These must be screened on entry and approved by management, however these must not compromise the ability for others to rehabilitate. such as drugs, alcohol or anything with addictive properties.

Co-Health - Youth Rehabilitation

Co-Health is a non-profit based in Victoria with various locations over the state. This example provides assistance and support to people suffering from mental illness and drug/alcohol addiction. The organisation focuses purely on providing skills and activities to at risk individuals, giving them the capabilities to return to work or study. The demographic for the inhabitants are people between the ages of 16 and 25, with them being welcome to stay residentially for up to a year. It is self driven, meaning inhabitants can come and go as they please, but it is in their best interests to stay and make use of the amenities provided. For a cost of $80 a fortnight, the cost is generally a non-issue for people, covering everything they need to live at Co-Health, including (but not limited to) 3 meals a day, sleeping arrangements, levy of activities and counselling/therapy provided. Furthermore, Co-Health is entirely free of charge for young people with no income whatsoever, and it is heavily reduced for people with low incomes that cannot support their stay at Co-Health on the standard $80 levy. Inhabitants also have access to wifi, allowing them to stay connected and not feel as though they are imprisoned in rehab.

The contrast of this model to our co-living proposal is to be accessed by people of all ages and representing demographics of all of Australia. Standing as a midpoint between this model of rehab and traditional correctional services, potentially ours would be a more controlled environment. The key aim however is to provide the skills required for individuals to live free of addiction and in study or employment in a modern, liberal fashion.

Design Rationale: One of the key requirements to fulfil the brief of a co-living space is to create form that really encourages individuals to meet with one another. By having a central meeting space where people eat, cook, meet and rehabilitate together is the crux of the design, doing all but sleeping and washing in this space. The facility is situated in an open park, where people are able to get out and get fresh, pristine countryside air, allowing individuals to genuinely relax and rehabilitate from drug use that so easily stems from inner-city life. With children and families encouraged to stay at the facility as part of the rehabilitation process, children are encouraged to play together outside the front doors and enjoy the fresh outdoor spaces away from screens. I set out to blur the lines between form and landscape, and I did so by incorporating the facility into a hill. Doing so symbolises a different experience for inhabitants, through a grassroots program that encourages rehabilitation away from traditional methods, minimising the power of brute force that is the war on drugs.

The central function space on the ground floor is where group therapy sessions take place, and the private spaces is where personal therapy takes place. Having therapy in the private spaces further encourages inhabitants to maintain a clean attitude which is key to transitioning back to traditional life.

Hill House

The Commune

Chapter 2:

Ch:2 LIVING SPACES: The idea of co-living is heavily dependent on the interaction and separation of various living spaces and how each of which defines itself as either a communal or private area. Given the unique environment and constituents that are aimed to inhabit _____, the living spaces must reflect the values of these members in a manner that does not impede upon their sense of privacy while also establishing a constructive community that positively reflects the co-living model. The integration of private bedrooms for families, singles or couples was an essential design feature given our model as it aims to remove the traditional rehabilitation ideology of shared bedrooms which does not conform to the progressive social model that this design aims to achieve, however the sizes of these living spaces will vary depending on the amount of people that will reside within them. Families will be reserved the largest rooms that can be partitioned into several rooms, while singles and couples will be allocated smaller rooms. The layout of these rooms will aim to be intertwined with social areas as a means of fluid transition from private areas into more social areas, limiting the possibility for certain groups to feel isolated within the community.

To further combat separation of individuals comes the requirement for communal areas in which all members of the facility would be able to socialise and interact with each other while also seeking help for the drug/ alcohol afflictions from health professionals in a manner that would communicate a more stigma free environment. This issue is a major limiting factor of traditional rehabilitation centres as members do not feel comfortable sharing their struggles with professionals as a result of judgement that other members may have towards them. Furthermore, these communal spaces offer greater opportunities for individuals/families who may not have access to these facilities due to their socio-economic background. These areas would include playgrounds, ovals, kitchens and other similar spaces that would reflect the diversity of the group by catering to their needs.

Odyssey House

Odyssey House is a youth awareness facility that offers residential housing for drug afflicted teenagers who are avoiding conventional rehabilitation in order to pursue a more conducive lifestyle. This is achieved through the residential nature of the co-operative housing facility, where members rely on the sobriety of each other in conjunction with provided facilities to achieve a more effective rehabilitation environment. These facilities include professional counsellors and doctors and extensive rehabilitation programs that cater towards the specific needs of the residence. For example, the Parent and Child Program allows members to undertake treatment while their children/families reside in the same house. Similarly, long-term residences are able to come and go as they please given that they are permitted by the counsellor and have stated a clear reason. These ideas of programs tailored towards individuals reinforces the progressive nature of the facility as it aims to expose weaknesses in the conventional rehabilitation treatments that provide standardised treatment along with limited freedom that the co-living rehabilitation supplies.

The main issue towards this model is the economical exclusivity that it establishes, as only the very wealthy would be able to afford the $11,000 each month, cutting off a demographic that may require these services more. This is where the introduction of government funding may be able to subsidise the cost and prevent socio-economic factors limiting the possible

Art, Design and Media

The NTU school of Art, Design and Media acted as the initial design template for the development of a preliminary model that would outline the spatial form of the design response as it shared various qualities that would positively reflect the co-living model. Firstly, the placement of a centre courtyard that emphasises a sense of community as all members share a common space beyond restraints of the building reflecting a fundamental element of the co-living model of communal spaces. This design element has hence been changed to facilitate the needs of the demographic that would inhabit this space, removing the water feature and concrete in favour for a more activity conducive environment. This idea of activity is highlighted again by the integration of a green roof system that creates a ground accessible link to the roof to create additional activity area. Secondly, the arched nature of the design further reinforces the idea of communal living as it creates visual connectivity between all members of the building due to the glass faĂ§ade that surrounds the internal courtyard, where despite the level each person is located, there is still an element of interaction between everyone. This form redefines the idea of public and private spaces, as despite the more social areas being located on the ground floor, the link created with the upper residence levels removes their anti-social nature.

Finally, the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s storied design functions in a manner that allows the allocation for various roles for each floor. For the co-living model, the top two stories are residential and private spaces which vary depending on the size of the family, while the ground floor acts as a hub for the building with various facilities that promote a social lifestyle.

Design Rationale:

As shown through the form precedence, my clean living design was influenced by the social nature of the Nanyang Technological University School of Art, Design and Media, where its sloping roof line and central courtyard were translated into the Clean Living approach. These elements were selected due to their ability to facilitate the co-living model that we are aiming to achieve, where members are able to interact in a social environment, while providing recreational areas from the various constituents that will inhabit the building. To expand upon these ideals, the buildings storied nature was separated into various functions, with the ground story communicating an open, social area where members can convene and interact with each other, while the supper two levels are mainly residential allocated areas. This was also important as it allows for a balance between public and private areas that may have been an area of concern for people moving into a co-living environment.

The Commune

THe Improved Living For Addicted persons (ILAP) Centre

Chapter 3:

24 Ch:3

Implementing these concurrently we intend to create a unisex coliving project for individuals who have low-grade substance-abuse related charges to minimise their isolation from society, which has been proven to contribute to delinquent behaviours (Montgomery, Barczyk and Thompson, 2010). ______ will be a place where addicts no longer feel ostracised and can feel that they belong and participate in a community of people with similar backgrounds. A study by Space 10 confirms this in their discussion on the importance of how social isolation and poor mental health have a significant link and coliving. When designed correctly and taking into consideration the needs of the target audience, there is an opportunity to mitigate a self isolating lifestyle and the negative habits that are associated (Space 10, 2018). Family is often a large part of who an individual identifies as being their community, which is why _____ will provide the opportunity for families to stay with their family member pending the individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agreement and court approval. We believe that where possible, by introducing these individuals into a naturally encouraged social setting by design, they will begin to see the benefits of belonging to a community that they can give to and that gives back to them.

Co-Living and Wellbeing :

The modern prison system was introduced in the 19th Century with the intention of shifting from the century-old concept of using pain as a form of punishment to a long-term housing establishment where restricted freedom served as punishment. Subsequently came the introduction of rehabilitation programs, which sought to reform and reintroduce inmates back into society after serving a sentence (Brown, 2003). However, these systems are often overburdened with low-degree felons and juveniles, which can strain the system of resources required for inmates with heavier sentences and therefore make it difficult to gain more personal assistance (Pelta, 1999). On the contrary, cohousing has served for decades as an opportunity for people to live together in small communities and support each other with common goals (ScottHanson and ScottHanson, 2004). We believe that similarities can and should be drawn between the progression of the modern prison system and lessons learnt from cohousing.

Adelaide Pre-Release Centre (APC) The APC is Adelaideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main pre-release facility, which caters for up to 60 low security inmates male or female. Located inside Adelaideâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Prison complex, the area is walled off by barbed wire fences on a desolate patch of land North of the city (See figures 1 and 2). Visitations are limited to 80 minute sessions where family can bring in consumables for their incarcerated family member. The purpose of APC is to facilitate the gradual release of individuals before moving back into society. This is attempted through programs such as in-house grounds maintenance and gardening to inter-prison warehouse distribution. External opportunities include community service, education, and work release whereby prisoners are released during the day to commence employment and return in the evenings. These activities are particularly beneficial for post-release as inmates often find themselves supported within community groups such as churches and volunteer groups. The benefits of this scheme allows inmates to feel a sense of purpose as they move back into broader society with skills and education that may have otherwise been previously unattainable or undesirable to them. The facility claims to employ a mutual respect between staff and inmates as they work towards their reintegration, which can often be otherwise difficult for someone moving directly out, especially from higher security facilities.

However, it could be questioned whether the APC is at all distanced in practices from the standard prison system. With jobs being invested back into prison services such as the canteen, gardening, and distribution, many will still find themselves isolated from life outside. Furthermore, the location of the APC amidst barbed wire fences does not appear to lend itself to a comfortable establishment. Besides communal BBQs the facility appears to fall short on implementing social initiatives such as sporting facilities or job promotions (See figure 3). The establishment intends to act as a stepping stone between prison and the outside world yet through its form lacks any sense of achievement for those that are moving on from the prison. _______ intends to challenge this scheme through carefully considering design aesthetics and functions to ensure that individuals do in fact feel individual and that they are not just a number in the system. Our goal is to provide a more involved project where the facilities cater to each person differently and social interaction is encouraged with minimal surveillance. _______ believes that the APC does not necessarily fail in its practices but appears to fall short in many areas that are crucial and can be ameliorated for improved transitions back into society.

Figure 1. Location of APC outlined in blue within the grounds of the AWP outlined in orange. Captured from Google Maps satellite view

Figure 2. Barbed wire fencing around the circumference of the AWP and APC. Photographed by Sunday Mail.

Figure 3. Communal BBQ and limited grassed area for APC.

Design Rationale:

This design takes notes from several precedents in both form and function. Its form is an evolved adaptation of the Adelaide Women’s Prison’s loose “figure 8” shape. The design considers the benefits of inwards-facing communal living and on the contrary, the negatives of creating a space that is entirely enclosed. Through opening the courtyard the design withholds from feeling prison-like and instead encourages a level of respect in the occupants where they feel trusted rather than captive within the establishment. It also seeks to create excitement in its shapes and spaces by once again straying from conventional grids and block buildings as this is a very unconventional facility. On the other hand, for function we have taken considerations from the Adelaide Pre-release Centre, which sits within the AWP’s grounds. The APC offers low-risk inmates an opportunity to live with more freedom in their own living quarters and communal areas. This includes outdoor BBQs, grassed areas, entertainment areas, and dining. Clean Living’s design implements these qualities in an open yet critical format that creates social intersections, encourages inhabitants to encounter each other, subsequently promoting a mentally beneficial coliving experience.

The Improved Living for Addictecd persons (ILAP) Centre

Circumstance

Chapter 4:

Ch:4

The Economic Benefits : 32

The collective old oak.

The collective Old Oak is a residential Co-living development situated in North West London on Victoria Road. It is currently the worlds largest Co-living complex offering facilities and services to suit 550 guests with either shared or private kitchenette. The building allows its occupants access to a range of facilities and luxuries, including but not limited to gyms, laundrettes, spas, restaurants and even an on-site cinema. According to the Reza Merchant, CEO behind the development; “We see the need to essentially have everything that you could possibly need while living in this building. That’s Co-living isn’t it? People are used to having everything they want at a touch of a button. It’s essential to provide that same level of convenience and immediacy in the places where people live”. I consider the Collective Old Oak to be a significant example of Co-living and it served as an important inspiration in my design. Not because I agree with the principles or philosophy of its designer in regard to Co-living, but because of the way it integrates so many services and luxuries into its design while still housing an incredible amount of people. I find this relevant to our project, as the rehabilitation centre will need to provide enough luxuries and facilities to house/entertain its guests without them having to leave the campus. Although the primary purpose of the project is to provide a location to overlook and facilitate the recovery of its occupants, without suitable stimuli, luxuries and entertainment, the project risks becoming nothing more than an over glorified prison. When creating my design, I took particular inspiration from the layout of the building. Specifically, the “twodios” which take up most of the space; single rooms which serve as two en suite bedrooms and a shared kitchen. I believe the idea of two occupants sharing a room will promote socialisation and assist with forming a community, however I also respect that many occupants will desire privacy. Instead of a shared kitchen, I decided to move all culinary activities to one larger kitchen with a dining area; similar to the alternative dining areas at the Collective Oak Commons.

Circumstance:

Central to my concept design was the idea of comfort and community. I wanted to create a space where residents could feel at ease with their surroundings. I used curves and circles as the fundamental elements of the buildings form, as their visual language create a sense of safety and protection. While the thickness of the building inspires a sense of strength. Despite the site serving as a rehabilitation centre, I was determined not to make the location feel like a prison. I tried to promote openness and freedom through the use of large windows in all rooms of the building. I also placed a heavy emphasis on nature and scenery, with rooftop plants and a central community managed garden. The way the form of the building curves around a central garden provides residents with a view of nature wherever they are in the facility. This is particularly important, as the view of the community managed garden serves as a constant reminder of what they can achieve, which I hope will aid the residents in their recovery.

When allocating spaces and facilities for the occupants, I focused on defining a sense of community through my design. While residents are all provided with their own private sleeping area equiped with a bathroom, the dining, fitness and relaxation areas are communal. This means that residents will share a common experience during all activities, which will naturally foster a sense of mutual understanding and community.