This study was intended to determine the architectural characteristics of a built environment
that makes a positive contribution to the effective treatment of addictions and associated mental
illnesses. Buildings affect people both physically and psychologically: Architects and interior
designers create retail spaces that increase sales, restaurants that stimulate appetite and offices that
maximise productivity. But do they design mental health-care facilities that improve treatment and
recovery? Surely, given the nature of its function, this building typology is the most deserving of
attention with regard to the subject of ‘environmental psychology’.
On the contrary however, mental health-care has a history of inadequacy when it comes to the
buildings that have been constructed to facilitate it: During the middle of the twentieth century –
particularly in Great Britain and the United States of America – state ‘mental asylums’ housed
hundreds of people in oppressive, inhumane buildings, remote from their communities. Derelict
asylums bear testimony to the ‘de-institutionalism’ movement that followed, favouring out-patient
care in the community context. On the other hand however, homeless, destitute addicts and mentally
ill individuals tell of the shortcomings of community-based care. Current medical insights have now
led to a new concept of ‘balanced-care’, which calls for the integration of in-patient and out-patient
treatment. This new approach provides an opportunity for architects to re-define the mental healthcare
facility – to humanise the institution and create treatment environments that contribute positively
to recovery.
The purpose of this study was therefore to establish a sound understanding of the unique
needs of this particular user group, to interpret the implications of these needs with regard to the
design of the treatment environment, and to assess the appropriateness of existing facilities in terms of
these findings. The research was carried out by way of consultation with local mental health-care
professionals, a review of existing literature on the subject, and relevant precedent and case studies.
The outcome was a set of principles and criteria to inform the design of a new addiction and mental
health clinic in Durban. / Thesis (M.Arch.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ukzn/oai:http://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za:10413/4692 |
| Date | January 2011 |
| Creators | Ussher, Mark Lawrence. |
| Contributors | Mthethwa, Majahamahle Nene. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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