2022 ‘Heal’ — Architecture Design Competition Launched by UNI to Challenge to design a rehabilitation center
Adult orphans
The population of orphans is nearly 153 million globally. These orphans, under the age of 18, are sheltered in orphanages. Since they are without parents, these children are homeless and malnourished, fighting for their survival.
Countries around the world have social systems in place that are responsible for supporting orphans. They ensure that the children do not end up on the streets, and are given a safe and secure life. Orphanages provide not just physical support but help secure the psychological and social well-being of these children. Adoption of orphans is a common procedure. They may also be sponsored by external funding agencies, to secure a bright future for some kids.
Despite this, many children are never adopted or sponsored and are left behind. When they turn 18, they lose the status of being an orphan, legally, and have to leave the residential institute.
What does the future of adult orphans look like?
Need for a safe healing space
Orphans over the age of 18 are expected to survive on their income. They lose the safety net of having a shelter and compete for employment. But the brutal economy of cities is a burden, rendering these young adults, unemployed and homeless. A sizable fraction of orphans above 18 who are left unadopted is disabled.
They are vulnerable populations that might be suffering from mental trauma, blindness, handicap, or any other disability. The city infrastructure is not approachable for these people, and they struggle to find the means to live a dignified life in society.
The social safety net of a city’s infrastructure must extend to these homeless orphans. Spatial design that is sensitive to their special condition, must be incorporated in cities. Initiatives are to be taken to build a supportive shelter for orphans so that they feel accepted and part of society.
How can design play a role in creating an inclusive space for adult orphans?
Brief of the competition
The motto of every city is to ensure that all its inhabitants have access to a healthy life.
Brief: The challenge is to design a rehabilitation center for orphans above 18 years so that they have access to a safe and secure shelter for a limited time.
A rehabilitation center is a space that offers to heal of mind, body, and soul to its users. Since the orphans that will live here might be disabled in some manner, an inclusive and sensitive design approach must be taken. The center must also have a learning and skill center. The physical, psychological, and social influence of space design is to be addressed. The design aims to not only create a shelter, but rather a home that is capable of enhancing the living conditions of orphans for the better. The design must be simple, safe, and user-friendly. The navigation and movement through the structure must be possible with minimal supervision.
Design objectives
- Concept: The spatial design must be flexible to accommodate different users in rotation and provide comfort even if the stay is short.
- Engage: The center must be able to fulfill all functional as well as social needs of the children so that their conditions are better for the future.
- Inclusive: The spaces must provide uninhibited access to all types of users and create an approachable and safe environment.
- Context: The design must respond to the (existing) site conditions. The wider socio-cultural, economic and environmental settings are to be considered in the design approach.
Site
Oslo, Norway
Norway has robust policies for child protection across the country. While the young ones are taken care of, there is a marginalized population of disabled adults, who are left homeless after they leave their orphanage. The nation is expanding its social services infrastructure to place such orphans into a safe society.
The site is located in Oslo, Norway. The global city has a high population of immigrants with provision for healthcare for all. Follow-up care services are provided to orphans after 18 but only some can access them. The site is on open green land, near the intersection of Okernveien and Okern Torgvei streets. The neighborhood is surrounded by residential colonies, education institutes, and commercial establishments. The area is a prime location with all facilities at an accessible distance.
- Site area = 3203 sq.m
- Height restriction = 12 metres
- Ground coverage = 30%
- Max FAR: 0.9
- Setbacks (as per CAD plan)
- Coordinates = 59°55'49.2"N 10°48'14.9"E
Program outline
The rehabilitation center must be able to accommodate around 50 orphans by providing a space for them to live, work and play.
- Spaces to live 30%: Rooms with attached toilets (single, double or common rooms)
- Spaces to learn 30%: Multimedia room, seminar room, workshops
- Spaces to play/recreation 20%: Gardens, cafe, playground
- Administration and Services 20%: Offices/management, Toilets, Services
The given programmatic outline is the point to begin your design at. You can add more functions and activities in relevance or modify the below design program.
Find all the competition brief, terms, and other registration guidelines on this
page: Heal | Healthcare Building Architecture Competition on UNI | About
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Originally published at https://uni.xyz.
