abstract revision [3]

How can the qualities of nurturing space have a positive affect on ones depressive mental state?

In 1550 BC in the oldest medical journal ever discovered, the Ancient Egyptians described what we know today as depression. Over three and a half thousand years later and depression affects internationally around 121 million people and rising. This indicates that we have not learnt adequate treatment methods from the times of our brothers of antiquity. This thesis will investigate a new typology of treatment for people affected by depression for today’s western society. Nurturing spaces that offers refuge, support, therapy and friendship in a homely, casual, secure and natural environment. This thesis will explore five broad concepts of nurturing space to identify specific nurturing qualities to utilise in the design process. These include; homeliness, atmospheres, place, volumes and materiality. These aspects will be explored through theoretical research in addition to identifying correlations in both interviews with people about personalised qualitative spaces, as well as observations in existing architectural structures that offer valuable input to these qualities. Through the amalgamation of these findings in addition to my personal creative input, the design of these nurturing spaces should add an unprecedented contribution to the treatment of depression that could not only address the rising number of people affected by the illness today but, could also segue into much needed more efficient and more humanised treatments of other mental illnesses.

abstract revision [2]

How can nurturing space help support people with stress related illness?

In today’s fast paced western society the increase of stress related illness is life-threateningly serious. Contradictory to this phenomenon, the treatment of stress related illness is usually not pursued, or more likely in terms of prescriptive treatment, not successful. This has occurred mainly through the negative social stigma inflicted on people with mental illnesses, in addition to the emphasis on prescriptive treatment that relieve symptoms, rather than addressing the individuals’ cause. Therefore, it is my belief, that through the amalgamation of designing quality nurturing spaces for professional counselling, the opportunity arises for a new design precedent for a more successful and humanised treatment of stress related illness. The aim of my research will be to investigate from different perspectives what correlations can be derived from the qualitative aspects of nurturing spaces. This will be conducted initially through a broad understanding of the theoretical aspects of qualitative space followed by using these findings as an initial framework for further questioning of people and relevant professional. In addition, this framework will also be utilised in the analysis of various existing spaces again in attempt to find confirming correlations to the above findings. My initial conceptions for this new typology of nurturing space for stress related illness are; a free drop-in counselling retreat dislocated from the stigmatic grasp of society. The aim of these spaces is to offer refuge, support, therapy and friendship to those persons affected by depression in a more homely, casual, secure and natural nurturing environment.