NEBULAND
SHIRLEY KWAN
Shirley Kwan
Nebuland
DEATH & CERTAINTY
MASTHEAD
A SEMESTER OF RESEARCH THROUGH STUDIO WORK
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CONTENT
Death & Certainty
Nebuland 010
Issues
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Investigations
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Reflection
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Precedents
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Hypothesis
124 References
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MASTHEAD MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY MELBOURNE SCHOOL OF DESIGN FACULTY
REVIEWERS
STUDIO LEADER Rebecca McLaughlan Senior Lecturer in Architecture and Urban Design Anthony Clarke Tutor in Architecture and Urban Design
Cody Lyon Sarah Blascke Jennifer Philip Eleanor Flynn Ruby Lipson-Smith Josrph Gauci-Seddon
MELBOURNE SCHOOL OF DESIGN
SPECIAL THANKS
Julie Willies, Dean Andrew Hutson, Deputy Dean Alan Pert, Director, Melbourne School of Design Donald Bates, Chair of Architectural Design Marcus White,Director of the Master of Urban Design
Rebecca and Anthony for the guidance throughout the semester. Thank you to Very Special Kids has given us a visit.
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Death is the only certainty, but it does not have to be a taboo or tragedy. I would like to use this project to challenge the public perceptions on death and the negative connotation that comes with the current health care services. Hospice/ palliative care unit has long been regarded as
the last chapter of the book of life, how can our built environment help the users to focus on the joy of their journey instead of the grief of their destination? Children are often being associated to the image of pure joy and happiness. Performance philosopher Jason
Silva explains that children always experience ecstasy and happiness and that they are continually learning and being conscious about the surrounding, creating new synaptic connections. Referencing Sir Ken Robinson, Silva mentions the sad part of adulthood is the lost of curiosity as our educational institutions are not providing us with the context for curious exploration. “To Learn, Stay Curious, To Stay Alive.” - Jason Silva The project, Nebuland, is therefore a fictional children’s hospice that celebrates curiosity, hedonism and the pursuit of happiness. The building will also serve as an interactive classroom where adults can be reminded of these precious qualities of children that they have perhaps forgotten. One of the main aspects that Nebuland is trying to promote is the focus on the psychological health of the patient. To achieve this, the project is being set as a fairy talelike story that attempts to provoke positive imageries in the user’s mind. Consciously keeping away from the ‘form follows function’ rule of economic modern design, the form of rooms and equipments are designed based on deriving positive experience instead of economic functions. On top of that, the building is designed with a child-orientated approach, where the scale of spaces and building elements such as openings, door handles and furnitures are fitted with a child-scale. Such play of scale will allow the kids to have a sense of belonging, dignity, and ownership of the space. The program
of activities are also designed in line with what a kid without disability would enjoy, fulfilling the desire to be treated as any other kids, which is something being pointed out by the Special Book by the Special Kids. As Silva has once said, “technology is changing human imagination, turning a dream inside out, extend our will,” the project attempts to eliminate the mobility constraints of the patients through the implementation of technologies such as the elevating bed that can be turned into a powered wheel chair that allows the children to regain sovereignty of their body; as well as the bullet lifts and the network of hanging elevators that replace the homogeneity of hospice corridors with something that can keep the children interested. Finally, the project is being presented as a story of a terminally-ill child’s imagination of his ideal hospice. This approach is adopted to challenge the current designers in the field to question their present approach and begin to prompt them to think outside the box, fulfilling not just the basic need to maintaining the endusers’ health conditions but to take a step further and create a memorable last chapter of their lives. Ultimately, the question for them would be, can Kevin’s dream come true?
Shirley Kwan Master of Architecture October 2017
ISSUES
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The project aims to identify and address issues of the contemporary practice of hospice and palliative care units. The evaluation is conducted through a research and understanding of the typical children hospice model, as well as a visit to Very Special Kids (VSK) in Melbourne, Victoria, whee more data are collected through conversation with nurses in the facility.
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DEATH & CERTAINTY ‘Home?’
Impression
First impression of a building usually to be the exterior view. Especially on a first visit of an unknown places, the external looking of a place will give a different feeling to the person. In general, children hospices in the world are mostly a conventional building, which do not give any excitement when looking at it. A lot of hospices are using a theme which is ‘home’. Having a hospice as home, so to give a familiar looking and comfortable feeling
to both children and parents. However, this is questionable because do kids want to stay at someone’s ‘home’, is home is where they will be excited for? As a conventional building, where all the programs and functions are hidden behind the external walls, the first impression for kids who have not been to this place before will be uncertainty. They do not know what is it inside. They will be scared and nervous.
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DEATH & CERTAINTY Pitched roof is easily associated with home. It is widely use in different children’s project such as nursery school, kindergarten and hospice. The form/ shape of a building set as an imagery of a theme. Are these building geometry giving excitement to children?
01 Forget Me Not children’s hospice, West Yorkshire UK
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Robin House Hospice, Scotland
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Hummingbird House, Queensland Australia
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Where do children like and hoping to visit the most? The shape of the building can be easily associated with the theme. Is ‘home’ the best theme? Where can co-location be taken place?
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DEATH & CERTAINTY Uncovered Entrance
Entrance
In the discussion with the nurses in VSK, they said the current hospice does not have a drop off zone since most parents will drive their kids there. The annoying thing is when it is raining, kids have to be wheeled in from the car to the entrance in the rain. Both the children and the parents are annoyed with the
rain. Nurses sometimes have to come out and help with sending in or out the children. What if there is a drop off area which is undercovered and the entrance is being more dedicated? The drop off area is part of inside so that the nurses can easily see who is coming and they do not need to go outside. 16
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DEATH & CERTAINTY Patient’s perspective in bed
Single Bedroom
Bedrooms in VSK are all single room with adjustable hospital bed. A large window and door connect to a courtyard. Do children love to stay alone at night? Will they be scared? Mostly parents would want on suite bedroom so to be more
private and convenient for going to the washroom and also seem to be more luxury. However, is that what kids want? What if they could not fall asleep at night and nightmare comes? Is staying in a hospital bed feel good? 18
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Bedroom in Hummingbird Children’s Hospice in Queensland
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DEATH & CERTAINTY Corners and corridors
Transition space
Transition spaces in hospice are usually corridors connect to communal area which are the play and dinning area. Turning from the play area into the corridor will make the kids feel abundant and disconnect with their friends both visually and physically. While corridors are all the same with just doors. There is a problem of
way finding because if not looking at the signage on the door. For a kids they may not able to read, or choose where to go. As well as what is behind the door. Also, mostly hospice is only on one floor because of easy for wheelchair to move around but is that what kids will only want to move only horizontally? 22
23 Transition space 1 from communal space to rooms - corner blocks out sight to the communal space.
Transition space 2
corridor - what can be seem in corridors are just the doors.
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DEATH & CERTAINTY Open courtyard
Connection with outdoor and nature
Exposure to nature can reduce fear and stress and increase pleasant feeling, it also contributes to physical wellbeing, reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and the production of stress hormones. It may even reduce mortality, according to scientists such as public health researchers Stamatakis and Mitchell. It does help by just viewing scenes of nature but not as useful as being into the nature. Garden and courtyard are always
outside which kids cannot reach by themselves and not able to go out when it is raining. Nurse from VSK said they do not always bring them out because they need to look after more than a kid. Apparently the ration of staff to patient is 1 to 4, so it is hard for them to bring one out. Nurse think it is good to have semi open garden in stead of totally open. Moreover, the nurse said kids love taking bath and playing with water. How can kids play with water when not taking bath any soon? 24
25 Greenery Garden and courtyard are always open without any cover.
Water
Kids love jump into puddle and play with water.
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Open Courtyard lawn in Hummingbird Children’s Hospice
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DEATH & CERTAINTY Lacking of freedom
Mobility difficulties
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is also known as DMD. It is the most common type of muscular dystrophy. It is very common in children which affects about one boy in every 3,500. Girls are less affected. It affects the nerves and the muscles and mainly the lower part of the body in the early stage. So in the project I am focusing on the mobility difficulties that
kids will slowly reduce their ability to move anywhere they want but become wheelchair bonded. Through observation on VSK, children on wheelchair so not have the ability to move around. He just sits there looking at others and nurses are busying looking after at other kids. How shall we provide them with freedom to move around without nurses to help? 28
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to respiratory system which vent may need to be used in later stage
to shoulder and hands
DMD starts with affecting lower body muscles and nerves
Special kids are stronger than what we think, they do want to try out new things same as a normal kids. They do want to show their ability. They like challenges said by special kids in video taken by Special Books by Special Kids. In the conversation with adult, they are trying to participate and tried to response and being interactive. In DMD case, kids will start with loosen ability to use their lower part of their body, stand and walk. However their hands and fingers can still be used. Their brain can still function well but may start loosen the quick ability to learn and talk. In palliative perspective, it is good for them to understand what they can still use rest of their body to do whatever they want. In order to increase their dignity and ability to live and being useful. They can still move by themselves without always helping by others. In the UK, there is a new product which is a power wheel, which kids can start learning to use it for moving around in the early stage so to get use of it. “We know that in development, early mobility is essential to get kids up and moving,� said Stephanie Annen, a physical therapist, the inventor of modifying power wheel cars for special kids .
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Modified power wheels cars: They gives kids with special needs mobility and getting their first real taste of freedom. Annen converts a traditional power car into a push-button mobile, so it is easier for kids to use. Eleanor Schumacher in the photo was very happy with her first ride.
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DEATH & CERTAINTY spider cage web therapy & anti-gravity treadmill
Occupational Therapy
Most kids with DMD will undergo occupational therapy to teach them moving their muscles and moving their bodies. Children will usually go to hospital or special center to undertake these therapies. Some of them are quite fun and innovative comparing to traditional ones such as the spider cage web therapy and the anti-gravity treadmill. The feedback of children are feeling fun moving their bodies can jump, fly and walk. However, if doing it repetitively, they will get bored easily. In existing space for these therapies are just a room with the machine or the equipment. For example the spider cage web is stand alone and facing all to the middle of the room. Cages
are placed side by side. There are no interaction between the other person on the side. They are just doing on their own. For other therapies which only need a machine, designer usually put on colourful wallpapers that allow imagination and distraction, but anyways it is still in a rectangular room. The room does not provide enough spatial quality that inspire children for imagination. Using wallpaper is not enough for distraction. The space itself should have the ability to enhance the experience. How does this space motivate them doing it continuously and looking forward for the next therapy? 32
33 Spider web cage therapy Kids undergo therapy side by side without any interaction.
Anti-gravity treadmill
Wallpaper is not enough for distraction. How can the space enhance this.
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UCSF Mission bay Hospital - Some hospitals has tried to using wall papers and sticker to decorate the room for treatment like MRI which is good for distracting the children. Can we push the boundary of distraction even further to the form of the room instead of sticker and wallpapers? (above) Spider web cage therapy at ADVANCE (right) Every cages are facing on the same direction, kids do not have interaction at all. Children in the cages look like being trapped.
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Anti-gravity treadmill machine - the scale of the machine does not fit children’s size.
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DEATH & CERTAINTY Dining table for art therapy and meals
Dining Table
Dining table and dining area are where the most communal space for both kids and parents. In VSK, it has a large dinning table so art therapy will take place on the same table. Since the dining area has the most people walking around and staying there, What do the children doing the art therapy may think? Do they feel comfortable with people watching at them? Also the dining table is so large that kids will not be able to interact with each other during dining time. Mostly kids with wheel chair will
be seated at the corner. For their meal, obviously no choice. Can dining time become a party time especially dinner which everyone has a long day in the hospice. Moreover the table is not designed for the wheelchair to fit in, can the furniture be adjusted and designed according to the chair that the kids are sitting at. Therefore, there will not be a large gap between the table and their body. They find dignity from the furniture designed for them. 36
37 Art therapy Kids are being watched by adults around the dining table area.
Dining time
The table is too large for kids to interact during meal time.
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A very large dining table at Hummingbird Children’s Hospice
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PRECEDENTS
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This section shows the collection of precedents in the built environment and particular looking at home design, institutions, installations and landscape design both built and conceptual.
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DEATH & CERTAINTY Master bedroom in Summer Home Ruetemple 2016
Sleep and Play Summer Home Russian architecture studio Ruetemple has added a play area above the master bedroom at this summer house to keep the children occupied, to allow parents have more time in bed. The architects added a multi-level play area above the bed – incorporating a small playhouse and secret room. To try and retain a calm environment, the architects built the entire structure – including a podium with a bed, the two upper levels and a staircase – using timber and pine. The remaining walls are painted white. White nets are used to protect the children from falling, allow them to climb to the uppermost level, as well as providing visual connection between the children and the parents. These elements come to one structure forming a sense of unity and relationship to each space. The compactness creates a warm feeling. Although
children and parents like spending time together, they also would like to have their own private time. For the children, they have their own playhouse on the uppermost level. The size of it can only fit children. Whereas, parents also have their own secret workplace at the back of their bedroom. A door disguised as a mirror provides access to the secret room. The mirror provides the illusion to children of having a room at the back of the mirror. This precedent allows me to think about mainly the vista projection between adult and children. Dimensions and scale to create a sense of ownership to the children. Both parents and children need their own private space. Also the use of mirror or a wall looking door to keep away from children entering.
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This image (above) shows how the two levels and having the children occupied can allow parents to have more sleep in weekend early morning. The roof windows allow the children’s space more brighter than the parents’ bedroom space where it does not want direct sunlight to the sleeping area and keeping the summer morning cool. (Right) The image shows the children’s playhouse at the uppermost level. It only fits one or two children in it. For the children will have a sense of owning this space. It is the scale for them and not for the adult.
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area for children
area for parents bedroom
secret workplace for parents
Sectional perspective diagram: The change of levels to create the sense of hierarchy and providing both parties with their own private space. The use of net as a safety barrier and a suspended play space. More importantly providing a visual connection between the family members.
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DEATH & CERTAINTY Exterior view of Children’s Home CEBRA 2014
Children’s Home
The Children’s Home of the Future is a 24-hour care centre for marginalised children in Denmark designed by CEBRA. The design comes directly from the understanding of children’s psychological association with imagery. By arranging different scales of the basic traditional pitched roof house shape in a playful and creative way, CEBRA is able to create an image that both suggests the safeness of home and the uniqueness of its spaces. The building stretches the potential of one typical shape by literally stretching and squashing the form and arrange them together. The combination of similar shapes in different ways help creating incidents of surprising spatial
quality that allow for flexibility and user-determinability. The building is formed by intersecting for elements to create a spatial and hence economically efficient space that maximise users’ interactions and allow for effective management. From the Christmas card of the project produced by CEBRA, we can understand that the whole approach of the project is to provide a sense of belonging that marginalised children often lacks. Same can be applied to paediatric terminal patients, when they lost control of their lives to the machineries that sustain their life, providing an interesting imagery that they want to be might be a key to a successful palliative unit.
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CEBRA Christmas card
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form follows function? or decorative shed? subtraction dormer rethink of traditional architectural feature addition extension
comfort scale
functional dimensions
rotation
shaped skylight
area for children
veiling privacy silent space
theatre space
playroom
skylight shelf
balcony connection to exterior
align main axis unobstructed vista
bedroom reading room
offset from axis indirect visual connection
communal space
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DEATH & CERTAINTY Play Equipment n/a
Play Equipment
Play Equipments have been widely use in park and playground. They are always different in the overall structure. The elements can be similar but the configurations are always different. These play equipments are usually formed by separated components as checkpoints and assemble to each other with platforms and main structures. There are multiple entries and exits to allow children to start from any direction and left at any slides. The separated components are placed close to each other as to allow efficiency and keep the children moving from one to another. The overall impression of these play
equipments allowing children to explore and having like an adventure. Children moving up and down, having space that above ground. What they see on the platforms are different from what they see on the ground level. They are curious on the surroundings where they do not get use to see in this eye level. For a traditional play equipment inspired me to think of how to create space more efficient as independent elements come close to each other. Multiple entrance and exit points allow the architecture to be more welcoming to people arriving from different directions and to give direct access to particular users. 52
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explore and adventure
efficient, close to each other
separated elements
multiple entry and exit points
checkpoint and resting platform
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DEATH & CERTAINTY Landscaping in Sustainable School CEBRA and SLA
Landscape in Sustainable School
CEBRA, in collaboration with landscape architect SLA, has designed the Sustainable School for The Sustainable City in Dubai. In opposition to hot-climate educational environments that are often large, air-conditioned structures, CEBRA’s vision for The Sustainable City proposes a permeability between outdoor and indoor learning environments, utilizing both in equal measure. The greenery of The Sustainable City continues into the school and up the building’s facade, and students will actively contribute to this dialogue by maintaining gardens for vegetables and flowers.
This projects shows that landscape does not only required outside the building but can be also inside and greenery all around. From the guest lecture of Andrew Simpson describing the situation of Very Special Kids Children’s Hospice, he mentioned that the kids there are not very much going outside. They are not convenient to go out by themselves or even too weak to go out. Then what about bringing the landscape into the building. Landscape area does not need to be huge. It just needs to be big enough for a person to feel outdoor to the nature. 54
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This images (above) shows that vegetation grows on ground. There are no actual barrier to the inside and outside. People walk through the space will unintentionally walk out to the nature. The contrast of the greenery to the shaped concrete floor edge give a feeling that they break through the ground and grow. The shaped concrete tiles also give a sense of pavement in the outdoor rather than indoor space. Materiality of pavement can change a perception of a space. The use of hard pavement or interior flooring material are giving different sense of space. (Right) The section on the right shows the tree size in relationship to the building height and amount of greenery to the space.
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bring in landscape to the interior
Schematic Diagram from CEBRA: The school is treating as a city. Landscape is all around the “street� corridor and semi-open space. Also, the use of trees as green buffer to isolate the real city outside.
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DEATH & CERTAINTY Main Street Disneyland n/a
Disneyland
Disneyland Park has been opened in most of the large cities. Their park arrangement of the Disneyland only base on one strategy. The arrangement of the park is having the entrance link directly to the Main Street, acting as a boulevard looking straight to the castle before reaching. The Main Street is somewhere drawing people into the central area. As a Disney fan of me, we usually meet up in front of the bakery shop at Main Street whenever we split to different zones of land. It is just a linear street where no place to hide. Into the central space, it becomes and communal space before entering to different zones. At the point you can choose which land you will like to visit. With
the directory and signage, it is easy for people to find their way in. The different zones have their own pathway linking to the central space. However they are linked side by side where people can pass through the zones without going back to the central space. This provide efficiency and less walking distance to visitors. Moreover, there are zones that are not linked to the central space. They can be only access by going from other zones. These areas can be treated as secluded space. From studying the land arrangement of Disneyland, it shows the hierarchy of space from public to private. The use of street typology to draw people into the central space.
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INVESTIGATIONS
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This section shows the investigation of tasks that have been done in the early semester, which helps to push forward the final proposal. These investigations are part of the inspirations and prototypes for the final design.
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unhooked bed becomes a cart for children to explore around
rising of the ho allows childre different perspec
The elevations of the hot air balloon hospital bed show the functions of the bed. The image below shows the imagery that a hot air balloon may given out to children through the naivety side of me.
“It is perhaps when our lives are at their most problematic that we are likely to be most receptive to beautiful things.�
110/70 73 mm.Hg Ap.
min-1 heartbeat
100 % SpO2
- Alain de Botton, The Architecture of Happiness
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ot air balloon en to have a ctive and space
unhooked bed becomes a cart for children to explore around
For the first task of the studio, we are required to rethink of a medical object. I chose to redesign a hospital bed for children. Most of the time in a hospital or being sick is staying in the bed, but not at all time can fall asleep. At this moment your brain will start thinking negatively. For a child staying on a hospital bed seeing the steel bars around will definitely afraid and dislike the condition. Therefore, my intent of redesign the hospital bed as a hot air balloon which it can be lifted into the air. The imagery of the hot air balloon that if often associated with the idea of adventure and surprise. I believe that the imagery of the product with such quality is what kept children upbeat during the worst situation. It is a object not only be a medical appliance for the body but also a healing tool for the heart.
balloon can be raised up and down by 1m high into the air. At the time the kid is up to the level where looking down to their parents. They will be very happy because they do not usually have this sight line. The change of vista provides them joy. Moreover, bed can be unhooked from the hot air balloon and becomes a little car for the children to drive out their ward to the communal space and areas to explore. This encourage the patients to go out of their ward and meet new friends and stay connect to people. Having accompanies are important to children, especially when their parents are not in the unit. On the hot air balloon is a projector screen for life support and patient monitor which is big enough for the nurses to look at it in far. At the bottom of the balloon can be a screen for the child to enjoy movie while lying on the bed. The activities providing allow distraction from the negative side of the patient.
The hot air balloon hospital bed will work functionally as a traditional hospital bed which it can fold to sit adjust the height of bed convenient for different purposes. Moreover, the hot air
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An imaginary world for a children’s hospice The use of fairy tale settings to create the collage
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The second task is to propose a non-traditional co-location for a new, 12- bed palliative care facility. I intended to continue with the idea of imagery and pushing the qualities what kept the children upbeat during the worst situation by introducing a whole new fantasy world that children always look for to the architectural scale. Therefore, the co-location that I have decided is not a functioning typology, but a building that can capture a child’s imagination, i.e. Cinderella’s Castle; Aladdin’s castle; the Neverland, Emerald City, the House in “UP”, etc. I did some research on that, here is a quote from Kathy Hull, the founder of George Mark Children’s Home, a child hospice in Santa Cruz. “...[C]hildren don’t stop dying just because we the adults can’t comprehend the injustice of losing them. And what’s more, if we can be
brave enough to face the possibility of death, even among the most innocent, we gain an unparalleled kind of wisdom.” “ In the end, we can’t control how long any of us lives. What we can control is how we spend our days, the spaces we create, the meaning and joy that we make. We cannot change the outcome, but we can change the journey. Isn’t it time to recognize that children deserve nothing less than our most uncompromising bravery and our wildest imagination.” I was deeply inspired by what she said and my project instead of creating the most efficient pediatric palliative facility, I want to create a building where its users can get the maximum amount of joy. From such speculation, I have conducted the SWOT analysis.
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NEBULAND Strength: Child orientated architecture - its ability to provoke positive imagery in the users’ mind. By creating multiple visual relationship and the mysterious nature of such building type, it encourage the user to explore the building instead of feeling trapped in a confined space. Weakness: Functionality and Management - its compatibility with medical facilities. Any exposed appliances need to be integrated with the whole setting so as to avoid the building to become the wallpaper of a typical medical complex.
“All architecture is shelter, all great architecture is the design of space that contains, cuddles, exalts, or stimulates the persons in that space.�
Opportunity: Positive association - with the setting of the building and its association with fairy tales. It opens up the opportunity of the creation of a story book that prepares the children to stay in the palliative care center. By planting the idea of the building, appearing in the story book, as a place of adventure and joy, children will be less distressed by moving to a new environment.
- Philip Johnson
Threat: Longevity of a story - it is once no one is reading the story book, the imagery will become irrelevant. When the trend is moved on, it is hard to be popular again.
Reflection: The most problematic thing is the story book. I have been asked a lot of times who is the audience of the story book. The problem is there are no prove of a story book can prepare them from going to this place and becomes very complex in the project. Therefore I turn the audience to the designer and hoping to inspire their thinking of a children hospice.
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DEATH & CERTAINTY In week 5 to week 7, we formed into a group of four, my groupmates were Ciara, Jen and Rochi. We chose to design an adult 12-bed palliative care unit. Our project site is located at the Melbourne CBD South, at the intersection of Swanston Street and Flinders Street. It is positioned to take place within the next 5 to 10 years, when the metro project is underway or completed. This will enhance our site usage and bring up the hospice facility in a mode of transience for everyday user. Since the idea of hospice facility, often instills a feeling of distance and holds negative stigma in the eyes of the general
public. Therefore, we wanted to place this confronting facility in the center of the city, creating a statement and contending with the notion of public space. As a way of connecting within the existing spine of Swanston Street, along with instilling a distinct programmatic function, this space will have an inhert connection to that of the Melbourne Arts precinct, which sits further down south of the subject site, along St Kilda Road. Along with being a hospice, it is dualling as an extension of the National Gallery of Victoria. We named it as the NGV Palliative Wing.
NGV Palliative Wing
Team 4 Ciara Jen Rochi Subject Mid Semester Project
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Site Plan (Not in Scale)
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once/ twice
a week visiting day care unit approx.
5 hrs per day
unstructured social time
Day care unit
activity group or medical care
Author Shirley Each of us in the group is responsible for one area in the hospice base on the concept we decided. I took in charge of the Day care unit. Day care unit is for the early stage patients who have been diagnosed with terminal illness. The main purpose is for them to socialise and under care by the palliative team. In this project, I have been researched on the usual activities that would be held in a day care unit. As well as, take notes on the working genre and timetable of a existed unit for easier understanding of what is needed in the design. The programs area are taken from the Good Hospice suggestion guideline and merge with some of the recommended spaces from Maggie Center’s brief. We worked base on plan by using the idea of blurring the boundaries, threshold contention and cross-program/function integration. For the daycare unit, I focused on mainly the entrance and vista throughout the journey from entering the building to the experience in different spaces. What can been seen at certain direction. Moreover, mainly how green space can be always connected to the patients’ eyes. Greenery helps reducing stress and anxiety. Also, the connection to the public gallery. How to create space that shows the degree of public and private and architectural elements that help with controlling the degree of openness. Patients do not like to be watched but at the same time we wanted the space to be seen by the public to raise their awareness. Fins, louvers, shaped windows and angled walls are used mostly in the project.
lunch time
leisure time
Shirley “Timeline of a day in day care unit”
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120m
2
100m
activities space
2
15m
examination room
2
2
80m
relaxation space
2
12m
consultation room
lounge
2
12m
disabled toilet
10m 2
10m 2
10m 2
waiting space
library
resting room
5m2 cloakroom
green space
activities space
relaxation space
disabled toilet resting room lounge
examination room cloakroom waiting space consultation room kitchen library
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Overall Plan - Ground Floor Combination of hospice, day care unit and out patient facilities and public gallery
activity happening for the patients. The painting class will relate to the theme that happens in the gallery. The process of the artwork produce will become part of the exhibition. We also suggested to sell their art work at the fundraising store for charity sale. However, this proposal was not absolutely accepted by the guest critics. The reason is about the patients’ dignity. Is it respectful and raise a lot of concern on their patients’ relatives. I agree that it may not be a good suggestion but their artworks giving back to the gallery to exhibit should be a better idea. Not for money but raise awareness of what the patients can still be doing in their last part of their life. This is more meaningful and gain more respect from what they have done.
The ground floor plan shows the angled walls formed a language to the planning. The use of the angled walls allow the public visitors from the gallery direct their vision to the designed space. There are a wide use of operable partitions to allow flexibility for controlling the privacy and also allow special event to happen. Such as the day care unit, the lounge, activity room and the garden are all can be opened to become a large event space for conference or special event for PR fundraising team to take place. The openness of the activity room to the gallery forms a connection of the
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Perspective Drawings
01 PR and fundraising facility
02 Trauma/therapy space
03 Gallery meandering space
04 Refuge space
05 Specialised treatment & bar
01 02 03 04 05 06
Rochi Ciara Ciara Jen Ciara Shirley Daycare unit entrance
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Hospice’s ward - NGV Insertion
most provocative part which is the collaboration of art and NGV. Through this project, we are able to understand the spaces need on plan, approximately the areas and programs need in different department of a hospice and palliative care center. Although a hospice for adult may not help much to the children hospice that I am looking at, massing and areas for programs may help. We may have put too much time on plan. For my final project I will focus more on the perspective that a patient is experiencing more than plans.
Our group proposed to do a cross over exhibition with NGV. A typical 1:1 wards are inserted into the NGV temporary gallery space. Visitors can go in an feel about the space and gain awareness to the hospice. 1:1 model is always useful to understand the size feel the atmosphere. Although it is simple but the message of the ward atmosphere can be deliver to the public. Although it is questionable whether the simple act will work, it does have some value behind. Reflection of this project: This project may not be sophisticated enough and did not showcase the
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HYPOTHESIS
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The conventional contemporary practice of children’s hospice is generally constrained by the tight budget and rigid health and safety regulations, can there exist an utopian of children’s hospice that transcends such limitations and captures the imagination of the children as the end users? Focusing on a patient cohort of children aged 4-12, who has been diagnosed with muscular dystrophy or spinal muscle atrophy, diseases that are characterised by their impacts on patient’s mobility, my project seeks solutions to resolve the problem of limited mobility that has been affecting the patient’s experience in the hospice. Through the pairing of technology that allows for independent movement and an arrangement of curious spaces designed to be explored, Nebuland aims to address both the physical and psychological health of the patients. A combination of architectural spaces of excitement and natural zone for quiet escape will hopefully suggest a new typology that heals both the body and mind.
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“so come with me, where dreams are born, and time is never planned. Just think of happy things, and your heart will fly on wings, forever in Never Neverland”
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Peter Pan “Come with me”
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impression
theme park geometry
excitement
social
imagery association way-finding
freedom child’s perspective playful technology bullet lift
colours
dream
transparency hot air balloon bed
imagination
steam train
competitive
power wheel
choices
therapy spider web cage therapy
wonder
curiousity
utopia dignity hedonism happiness
anti-gravity treadmill art therapy
escalator
elevated bed
challenge
nature
health
Concept diagram
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waterfall
picturesque scenery setting greenery
calmness
attached
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Impression Nebuland does not have a specific site. It sits on a body of water and around with scenic views. Soon arriving, a picturesque setting is seen. The impression of the building is a theme park. It gives a sense of excitement and adventurous to the children. The transparency of the building provides less uncertainty of what happening inside. Children can see and pick where they want to go later.
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Entrance Nebuland has its special steam train picking up and dropping off special kids. A steam train like Puffing Billy, which makes the way to the hospice more interesting. Feels like going to somewhere special. It has a station in the atrium which avoid stopping in open area without cover. It has a dedicated entry, so it feels more welcome to the building. Kids in the hospice are also welcoming the comers.
Puffing Billy Steam Train
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Vertical transition Nebuland has multi-levels so kids can explore more than just horizontal plane but also vertically. There are these bullet lift connected to different spaces above the tree structures. Using bullet lift for transition can keep children visually connecting to where their friends are, so to avoid being abundant. Kids in general love to take bullet lift because there is a change of scale in object beneath them. They are curious on the changes and having a different vision which they do not usually have.
Willy Wonka’s glass lift
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Shared bedroom & Elevated bed In parents’ perspective, they may want a on-suite bedroom but most children are very social. They love to stay with their friends all the time. At night time, they know there are always someone accompany them instead being alone in their bedroom. There are operable partition for situation needs privacy. Share bedrooms are separated into boys and girls room. As well as having a rising hot air balloon bed. Children can experience the different elevations. They love bunk beds, don’t they. They can enjoy their own space in the mid air watching their favourite movie projected on the bottom of the hot air balloon. There are the health monitor at the top which can be easily seen by the nurses. All the medical machine will be hide inside the hot air balloon so not to be seen by the children.
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Under-covered garden Greenery and plants can be indoor so that they can be visited at any weather. Garden does not need to be very big. It can be along transition space and next to voids so that it will be visible at other levels. It is mentally good for health to be able to connect with nature all the time, both physically and visionary. Kids sometimes will like to stay at a quite place, and here they can talk to the flowers they like. Giving them a peace and calm area to stay around.
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Self-drive power wheel bed The biggest issue for DMD is mobility problem. The advanced of technology can help the most. The hot air balloon bed can be adjust the back to allow the patient to sit up. This bed can even become a car for kids to move around themselves. It works like the modified power wheel introduced in the research section. Kids are simply pushing button to move freely. They are excited to experience the time when they do not need to be pushed by other people and be able to do it themselves. The freedom they have here gain back their dignity and acknowledge their own ability.
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Workshop Children have a specific area undertaking art therapy, which is the workshop space. They face the void towards the atrium, so they can see what their friends are doing and will not feel left out. Since facing a void, they will not feel being watched by others. The desk are designed fitting to the bed. It gives an idea of how furniture should be designed for the children specifically to their scale. It gives sense of ownership.
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Spider web cage therapy The spider web cage therapy has become a play room. The cages are now broken down into panels so they do not look like being trapped in the cage. The spot is not lined up horizontally but facing each other because children love competition. They love copying others and competing with other to show their ability. In this case it is a good motivation for them to move their body more. As well as the space is not a rectangular
volume but having a cloud shape plan. This opens their imagination of jumping, flying and swing on a cloud. This place is also located at a high level, the blue semi transparent glass can give a sense they are in the sky. With the high ceiling height can also motivate them to move upwards. The use of padded flooring allows to feel safe, so they will be comfortable to move their bodies. There is also a ball pit in the middle, where can allow children to wait for their turns or invite their siblings to stay in there.
Conceptual Surreal Collage
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Waterfall feature Kids love playing with water. To introduce a artificial waterfall into the hospice, so that the kids can touch on water at anytime. The sound of waterfall creates an effect of nature and gives a good healing place. It is nice to sit behind the waterfall, listening to the water and relax. The waterfall has a screening effect which gives a sense of privacy. Only the person next to each other can hear what each other say. It was part of my own happy childhood memories and experience.
Water feature in Hong Kong Park
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Transition The use of escalators to connect spaces. They can drive their hot air balloon car wherever they want. The escalator is also a bridge that runs one side to another. On the escalator they do not need to control anything, but can focus on the view in front of them. It is more entertaining then transferring along enclosed corridors.
Network of escalators in shopping mall
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Anti-gravity treadmill therapy Anti-gravity treadmill has allowed a person with mobility problem to walk again in a no gravity treadmill machine. It just like walking in space. The person can feel their legs walking but you also know you not actually moving at all. By enhancing the experience of walking, children will be walking in the red spaceship which the treadmill inside. The red spaceship is an abstraction of the huge machine. The spaceship will also move on track accordingly. The spaceship is running around this
rainbow tunnel. The light on the rainbow will light up whenever they reach the point. It becomes a motivation for them to move forward. As well as the space is cantilever in the air with glass facade so they can walk and look outside to the sky and at last reaching the space. The shape of this space and the atmosphere create an abstraction and motivation to the children to keep moving forward and the story of riding a spaceship walking in rainbow tunnel reaching the space is easily associated.
Conceptual Surreal Collage
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Isometric drawing Rainbow Tunnel
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hoist
treadmill
body frame
inflatable skin
Before inflation
After inflation
Spaceship detail
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Dining table Choices are what kids like the most. They love to choose what they want. A sushi train is what they would love the most. Bring motion to the dining table makes more fun to the meal. Kids can choose what they want to eat. As well as the table is small and round, so that they are close to everyone at the table. The table are custom design to fit there hot air balloon car, not just a typical rectangular large dining table for adult. Every meal is a party, dinner is a celebration of today’s hard work.
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wards 500 sqm
wards 500 sqm
staff room 120 sqm
staff room 120 sqm
AntiG 80 sqm meeting place 80 sqm
spider cage 50 sqm
meeting place 80 sqm atrium
library 20 sqm
AntiG 80 sqm
spider cage 50 sqm
kitchen laundry 80 sqm
atrium library 20 sqm
kitchen laundry 80 sqm
patients circulation staff circulation
planning massing diagram
Wards are the most isolated one. Trying to encourage kids to spend most of the time in the communal space and activity spaces. Keep them social and entertaining instead of hiding in their room.
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escalator escalator space
lift
space
space
escalator space
lift
lift
lift
circulation massing diagram
Giving kids to choose where they want to go by choosing the shape of the room. It becomes easier for way finding. There is no need of signage. They can take the lift at atrium to one of those and take the network of escalators to travel form one space to another.
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staff room
storage
services
dining space
kitchen entrance
atrium level plan 0
2
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shared bedroom boys
boys
nurse station bathroom girls
bedrooms level plan 0
2
waterfall
4m
anti-gravity treadmill therapy
workshop spider web cage therapy room garden
activities level plan 0
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2
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REFLECTION
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This thesis project has made me understand palliative care and health care industry more than before. Rethinking current practice has brought up a wide range of questions in health care design. Provocative design may just be a dream of the designer, there will not be budget allowing to build it but there are still a lot of possibilities in doing it. Just like how Peter Cook said Archigram was meant to be built! The outcomes of the project may not be real but the ideas behind are constructible. I hope designers will be inspired by this project and including myself, learn more from the curiosity that children have, to wonder, to dream, to imagine and keep learning, in order to create a better world for everybody.
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REFERENCES
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Hayes, B, (2017). Recollection on Oliver Sacks’ last hours, Insomniac City. Bloomsbury, 282-285. Kaminsky, L, (2016). “ Living on the FringeL Finding Joy in Honouring the Dead” in We’re All going to Die. Harper Collins, 192-234. Maggie’s Center’s brief (2015 version). http://www.maggiescentres.org/media/ uploads/publications/otherpublications/Maggies_architect uralbrief_2015.pdf. Sacks, O, (2005). “My Own Life”. Gratitute. Picador, 14-20. Swazey, K, “Life that doesn’t end with death”, Ted Talk. http://www.ted.com/talks/ kelli_swazey_life_that_doesn_t_end_with_death. Shots of Awe. “The Ecstasy of Curiosity”. https://curiosity.com/videos/the-ecstasy-ofcuriosity-shots-of-awe/. The Good Hospice Guide. http://www.hospiceforum.dk/media/ TheGoodHospiceOnDenmark.pdf.
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NEBULAND D e a t h & C e rtainty SHIRLEY KWAN
FACULTY OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING AND PLANNING Architectural Journal M.Arch Thesis