Asylum: a Place of Refuge
As mental health issues, namely anxieties and depression, have reached an unprecedented peak, with recent research showing that they have increased by 70% in the past 25 years, it is necessary for architects to address the issue by realising the impact of the environment in shaping our thoughts and emotions. The 18th century Asylum implies this realisation through the intervention of nature - vast pastures and bucolic settings - believing it has the power to cure the human psyche and, at the same time, offer redemption. As a result, this project seeks to create a reinterpretation of the 18th century asylum within an opposed, yet equally fascinating, setting; that of the vast desert and rocky mountains, secluded from urban activity. The use of a powerful, specific and emotive language inherent to the setting, seen through materiality and form, creating unique experiences, allows for Asylum: a Place of Refuge to be a safe haven for people to resort to, away from the pressures and stresses of everyday life marked by the bustling cities.
Instructors: Michael Hughes and visiting Architect Fernando Menis
American University of Sharjah
Spring 2017
