JOHN BARRY GIMUTAO/DIA

A COMMUNITY AND CARE CENTER FOR LUNG CANCER PATIENTS

STUDIOKRAKOW OXYGEN HOME

The project aims to respond to an obscure yet profound social crisis in the Kraków region of Poland. Due to reliance on coal-burning furnaces for heating, residents of Krakow are threatened by pervasive air pollution causing increasing incidents of asthma, chronic lung disease, and lung cancer. The project calls for the design of a care center for lung cancer patients as part of the Institute of Oncology in Krakow.

THE COMPETITIONKRAKOW OXYGEN HOME

Its purpose is to provide psychological support and an opportunity to socialise with others who understand what each patient is going through.The centre should be a fairly small building that includes a community room with facilities such as a small library, play zone and kitchen. There will also need to be an office where psychiatrists and counsellors can help those dealing with lung cancer as well as a first aid room to provide medical support when needed. As the centre's site is located in a public park the building strategies must clearly explain the building's proposed position in it as well as new park circulation and functional strategy. The care centre’s purpose is to provide comfort and a sense of community, it is not a hospital or treatment centre and should not have a clinical atmosphere. It should create a cozy and homely environment in which to offer practical, emotional and social support to those fighting lung cancer as well as their families and friends. This is an opportunity for enthusiasts to use architecture to help heal a hurting community and spread a strong message of hope

“KRAKOW OXYGEN HOME”is an architecture vision

competition.HMMD Architecture Competitions

has prepared this document for thepurpose of arranging the “KRAKOW

OXYGEN HOME” architecturecompetition.

HMMD was not hired or contractedby any organisation or third party,

theconcept and planning for this

competition have been developed to

serve solely as an academic exercise.

© HMMD Architecture Competitionshello@hmmd.org

hmmd.org

PROJECT BRIEF

The project aims to respond to an obscure yet profound social crisis in the Kraków region of Poland. Due to reliance on coal-burning furnaces for heating, residents of Krakow are threatened by pervasive air pollution causing increasing incidents of asthma, chronic lung disease, and lung cancer. The project calls for the design of a care center for lung cancer patients as part of the Institute of Oncology in Krakow.

CONCEPTSTUDY & EVOLUTION OF FORMSTo find a good method to further improve the process of cure through architecture could be the biggest challenge in the design process. When I first heard of the project proposal as an “Oxygen Home”, the first thing that popped in my mind was something that could provide quality air. According to the project brief, It would mainly cater to the people of Krakow with lung related diseases especially lung cancer. After continued research and analysis, I came up with my three goals in developing the project, - support for people suffering from lung-related disease/s, to provide a possible solution to the air quality problem, and to create awareness with the local community.

The project location – Bror Hansson Park in Krakow, is a park situated in the middle of a health facility complex and residential areas, with users mainly the nearby residents and the visiting patients in the health facilities nearby. Since it is a park, the first thing that came into my mind was to preserve and create more park spaces; this is why I came up with the idea of elevating a part of the park, and to create a courtyard garden that could provide a private sanctuary to it’s users.

THE SITEBROR HANSSON PARK, KRAKOW

To be able to achieve my project goals, I came up with the three main parts of the project -

MEDICAL SUPPORT FACILITIES

COMMUNITY & PUBLIC SPACES

AIR PURIFYING FEATURES

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

ROOF DECK

AIR PURIFYINGTHROUGH BUILDING SKIN

COURTYARD &AIR PURIFYING TOWER

ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONSIt is said in a study that a beautiful landscape can help people to have a more optimistic point of view in life, which is a very important factor in curing any disease. The tower will not only filter the air inside the courtyard, but will also release a more purified air in the surrounding area, with the help of the air purifying plants in the building skin, this could help improve the air quality in the neighbourhood.

SPACES FOR COMPLIMENTARY & ALTERNATIVE CUREThere are theraphies that include the changing to a special diet, mind and body meditation like yoga and others. In the community care side of the building, I have allocated spaces for conducting workshops and mind and body meditation. On the other hand, together with the emotional support facilities, there are rooms provided for acupuncture and massage, which are the two most common alternative theraphy in controlling pain and reducing anxiety in cancer patients.

URBAN FARMINGTo be socially sustainable is one of my goals in developing the project. The enclosed greenhouse in the roof garden will be dedicated to urban farming. As part of of the goal in engaging the community, the future users can use this space in planting herbal and medicinal plants that could help them cure their disease. Engaging the patients in activities like urban farming or planting is a good therapy for them to ease their emotional pain and at the same time producing herbal and medicinal plants that could help them fight their diseases.

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