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Catharsis Center

Part 1 Project 2003
Mary Saradinou
Hannah Gaze
 University of Lincoln Lincoln | UK
The project began with an interest to find out how architecture and spatial dynamics can be generated through the study of psychology and emotional expression.

The building becomes a physical manifestation of the research and analysis. Which is to be articulated in such a way that it interrogates, stirs and plays together with the psychology of the patients. It is a building where the sense of place becomes a dramatic experience, and thus the conventional concept of space is questioned from one that stages an act to one that orchestrates the process of ‘catharsis’.

The psychological study of a person became the catalyst for the project. I put a patient in a specific emotional state, through questions devised with the assistance of a clinical psychologist. I focused on the hand expression – “mental photograph of the inner process”. The expressions were mapped and coded. These informations were translated both literally and metaphorically into 3D spatial exploration models. The design is a progression of the exploration and study. At times it emerged out of the explorations and at times the exploration was used as a metaphor in the conception of the design.

There are three main elements to the scheme –the main building, the accommodation unit and the artificial carved out landscape. The building emerges out of the landscape and the artificial landscape merges into the natural, contrasting elements amplifying the qualities of each. The building at every scale makes references back to the analysis of the patient.



Mary is a student with seemingly endless amounts of energy, with an ability to produce overwhelming amounts of work. Her design thesis was intensely rigorous, her application of design methodology and ability to define and use an architectonic language setting her apart from her fellow students.
Her scheme was a rich mixture of floating forms, landscape and the beautiful application of materials through detailing.

Tutor(s)
Dr John Bold
2003
The Interview – The participant was put under specific emotional state –focused on four basic emotions, fear, anger, happiness, sadness- with questions devised with the assistance of the clinical psychologist.
The hand – In the process of the interview, movements of the hands were recorded with the aid of fishing fluorescent tube lights attached to the fingers. These images depict the actual expression, the participant’s mental condition.
‘Decoding’ expressions – The hand expressions were decoded according to the hierarchy of the movements and the time taken for the expression. These codes adopted in the next exploration with the aim of generating architectonic forms and spaces.
3D model of Sadness – The analysis of the interview was used to generate 3d models. These models were explored from a rotation elevation study capturing the cuts voids and curves. These models in the sequence become the total interview or experience.
Superimposition study – 3d models of different expressions were superimposed, rotated and cross programmed into the various different expressions to represent the interview in the form of one collage.
Movement in space – Series of the interview were combined in one. These were placed in space assuming the 3D spaces the expression happens in. They were combined by using membrane and mesh to generate a model of the patient’s psychological condition.
Architectonic elements – The collage, representing the interview, was translated into physical and virtual models retaining the qualities of the exploration. Voids, solids and opacity were translated into horizontal and vertical planes.
Ground floor plan – The building has three main elements. The service and circulation tower, the main activity space and the auditorium. The ground floor is the entrance of the service tower, to serve the rest floors.
First floor plan – The first floor is an art and painting space, connecting to the auditorium. Also, the main entrance of the accommodation units with a kind of reception and dining area. This will be connected with the three dormitories.
Second floor plan – The second floor is a Dance practice space and the bar of the auditorium. The organisation of the railings and mirrors were influenced by the previous exploration of the hand.
Fourth floor plan – The fourth floor is a Mind exercise space. The patients will be practicing yoga, meditation and so on. The spaces were designed to be as flexible as possible.
Site plan – The site is in Derwentwater, in Lake District. The main reasons for the choice of the site was the inclination of the psychologist that people can express themselves better close to the nature. And the distressful feelings the site evokes.
Elevation study – The building is placed along the natural condoles of the site. It will be these cuts, planes going up and down the landscape. So, it going to be this articulated carved landscape merging into the natural one.
Section study - The building will be cantilevered of the service tower and some other structural elements, light as possible, to retain the feeling of floating -making reference back to the earlier model explorations.
Construction detail – Four main elements, concrete, glass, steel and wood were used, with the aim of creating sleek, yet soft spatial qualities. Also the wood will have a softer contextual dialogue.
The accommodation units – The units sit on the carved out landscape and make symbolic references to the rock formation of the landscape. It will be this manmade flowerbed on the landscape that it will merge and contrast to the natural sporadic one.
Building and spaces – The facade here is articulated in such a way to create a spatial experience that is dynamic. The openings and the cuts were created from the montage study .So the facade, in a way, is a metaphor of the conditions of the users.
Perspective montage - Montages were created intending to create space that would have a dialogue with the context and emerge out of the process. The montage shows intended spatial qualities to be achieved to the mind exercise space.
Perspective montage - The perspective shows the space from the service block looking over the void and on to the lake. Materials,walls,planes,views and feel of the space were given detail thought with the aim of creating space that would work all round.
Reflections of the site – The landscape connects the main building and the units.The building emerged from the psychological study of a person and is about the relationship with the manmade artificial landscape and how that merges to the natural one.
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