Center for Treatment of PTSD
Author
Gevitz, Luna Nørgaard
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2021
Submitted on
2021-09-01
Pages
154
Abstract
This thesis presents a conceptual design for a treatment center for people living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after sexual assault, located on a hillside in Brittany, France. The report is structured into Program, Presentation, Process, and Appendix, and explores how architecture and care can work together to support recovery. It starts from the observation that France reports a high number of sexual assaults each year and that public services often do not fully help survivors return to everyday life. The center takes a holistic approach that brings together bodily, mental, and social aspects of healing. A key focus is sensory experience—using materials, light, and movement to help people reconnect with their bodies and senses. The design aims to support a healthy circadian rhythm (the body’s sleep–wake cycle) and to rebuild awareness of bodily signals. The site strategy responds to the hillside landscape, local atmosphere, and regional culture to strengthen a sense of place and safety. Social and environmental sustainability are addressed through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which evaluates environmental impacts across the building’s life, and through passive strategies (design choices that lower energy demand) and active strategies (technical systems that use energy efficiently). To reach an integrated proposal, the project combines the Integrated Design Process—early, collaborative work across disciplines—with Maher’s Model, a framework for moving between understanding the problem and developing solutions.
Denne afhandling præsenterer et skitseforslag til et behandlingscenter for posttraumatisk stresslidelse (PTSD) efter seksuelle overgreb, placeret på en skråning i Bretagne, Frankrig. Rapporten er opdelt i Program, Præsentation, Proces og Appendiks og undersøger, hvordan arkitektur og behandling kan arbejde sammen for at støtte heling. Udgangspunktet er, at Frankrig hvert år rapporterer mange seksuelle overgreb, og at de offentlige behandlingstilbud ofte ikke rækker til at hjælpe mange tilbage til en velfungerende hverdag. Centret tager en helhedsorienteret tilgang, hvor kropslige, mentale og sociale aspekter af heling tænkes sammen. Et centralt fokus er kropslig sansning—at bruge materialer, lys og bevægelse til at styrke nærværet i kroppen og kontakten til sanserne. Målet er blandt andet at støtte en sund døgnrytme (kroppens søvn-vågen-cyklus) og øge opmærksomheden på kroppens signaler. Stedet er udformet med afsæt i landskabet, atmosfæren og den lokale kultur for at forstærke oplevelsen af tilhørsforhold og tryghed. Social og miljømæssig bæredygtighed er integreret gennem livscyklusvurdering (LCA), som vurderer miljøpåvirkninger over hele bygningens levetid, samt gennem passive strategier (designgreb, der reducerer energibehov) og aktive strategier (tekniske systemer, der bruger energi effektivt). For at nå frem til et sammenhængende design kombineres en integreret designproces—hvor fagligheder samarbejder fra start—med Mahers model, der hjælper med at veksle mellem at forstå problemet og udvikle løsninger.
[This apstract has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]
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