VISUALISING ISOLATION THROUGH SPACE

Individual pods - 2 X 1

Shared pods - 4 x 1

Communal spaces

Nurse station

Functional Planning

Nurse at highest level for ultimate visual connection with all functions.

Singular pods of higher threat patients at close visual and spatial proximity with nurse for safety.

Shared communal spaces at ground level, shared pods at a visually connected area, relatively less acessibile - lesser explosive.

Nurse visually linked to all. Individual pods separated further from each other, proximity to nurse station still maintained closeby for emergencies.

Shared spaces always monitored, separated from other pods.

Communal activity space - less likely for accidents - further isolated spatially.

Sectional Study

Extracting primary functions such as the nurse station at the highest level to allow visual access.

The level differences at each height further displays this heirarchy. Partitions are used here to create privacy for isolation wards.

Development

- LEVELS

- ENCLOSURE

- PARTITIONS

The functions in a unit pod include – nurse / caretaker station, single rooms, shared rooms, interactive spaces.

The functional relationships define the requirement of visual and spatial connection between the nurse station and all other spaces.

The patient wards may have visual connections with each other but must be physically / spatially isolated to prevent any unwanted interactions. - enclosure, levels, partition

In a psychiatric ward, isolation is required to ensure the safety of both the patients and the people in contact with the patient. It is thus a case of severe isolation where it is required to isolate the patients from the external world – as they can cause potential risk to other people, while maintaining separation between each patient.