Gnistan: the spark: a support center for people affected by cancer
Typ
Examensarbete för masterexamen
Program
Architecture and urban design (MPARC), MSc
Publicerad
2021
Författare
Ståhl, Agnes
Modellbyggare
Tidskriftstitel
ISSN
Volymtitel
Utgivare
Sammanfattning
At some point in life most people will
be affected by cancer, it is a widespread
disease, affecting both the patient and
everyone close to them. Getting diagnosed
with cancer is tough, medical treatment is
important but so is mental support. Today
there seems to be a gap between the
healthcare system and the mental support
both during and after treatment.
About 60.000 persons in Sweden get a
cancer diagnose each year. A support
center aims to create a place where people
affected by cancer can relax, recharge and
become stronger. It is also about finding a
way to remove the stigma and create a safe
zone where it is okay to feel weak and to cry. A
cancer support center is not a new concept,
but it is non-existent in Gothenburg and
would function as a complement to today’s
healthcare.
Research shows that architecture affects
people’s well-being, and that nature has a
healing effect. Both architecture and nature
can thus help the healing process and work
as positive distraction. Biophilic design is
focused on our basic need to connect with
nature, using it as a tool and as inspiration
it helps nature being a big part of the
architecture of cancer care.
This thesis has been investigating how
architecture and nature in a support
center affects cancer patients and their
loved ones. Hopefully this will contribute
to the discussion about cancer treatment
in Sweden and make rehabilitation and
mental support a natural part of the care.
By combining existing knowledge in the
healthcare field with experiences told from
people affected by cancer and case studies
of similar places the design proposal
resulted in a center close to Sahlgrenska.
This new support center provides both
small intimate rooms for discussion and
reflection, as well as larger rooms for
rehabilitation and learning. The center has
a close connection with nature, from the
garden on the outside to the materials on
the inside.
This is a place to process the cancer, learn
how to live with it, how to move on from it,
or how to move on without someone. The
architecture in the center support these
different needs that comes along over
time and takes place at the same time for
different people.
Beskrivning
Ämne/nyckelord
Architecture, cancer, nature, biophilic design, support, recovery