BDES1020 - Continuous City <Jonathan Irawan>

Abstract

This projects examines society’s perception of the definition of any health institution. Health institutions today are designed to focus on the concept of sickness rather healing. Due to society’s gradual assimilation of this idea, we are forced to label or even base all designs of health institutions in order to have the idea embedded within people’s minds. There is a specific atmosphere that is common between different health institutions which defines its function/brief/program. I wanted to explore the other side of this idea and focus on healing rather than sickness. In order to do this, I wanted spaces within the building to have maximum exposure to the sun. All the design decisions were based on this concept, whether it be orientation of room or the form of the entire building. Although I have altered the “box” like form of the health institutions, I still maintained uniformity and simplicity through the carving of patient rooms in each level for practical purposes. This also reinforces my aim to obtain maximum exposure to the sun. Patients should be encouraged to wander around these spaces and the implemented roof garden spaces. Combined with the contextual influences of Jerusalem, the proposed design should challenge society’s current perception of the definition of a health institution and encourage them to explore possibilities through the birth of this project.