Spatial Design II - Assignment

Assignment 1

In Assignment 1, we are required to research an inclusive project. For our research project, we chose HillsidesCares because our upcoming project involves designing a healing center. HillsidesCares is a center in Los Angeles that treats children and adolescents aged 6 to 17 with mental disorders. This research will help us understand inclusive design in healing centers for our assignment. This healing center is located in Pasadena, California, HillsidesCares offers a comfortable environment away from the busy city. It serves as both a mental health clinic and a learning center where children can engage in activities that reduce stress and anxiety. They offer various therapies, from residential to outpatient programs, tailored to individual needs. After comparing different hospitals and medical centers, we found HillsidesCares to be ideal for its design, services, facilities, and activities. Below is the website from HillsidesCares care as reference.

Figure 1.1 Hillsides Cares

Creating a Welcoming Space Design

HillsidesCares’ space design is a great example for my upcoming assignment. Its location, interior design, and room layouts show what a healing center should be while creating engaging spaces for children and adolescents. HillsidesCares is in a quiet residential neighborhood in Pasadena, away from the busy city and surrounded by nature. This peaceful environment helps reduce stress and promotes relaxation. Being close to nature encourages outdoor activities like walking and hiking, which are good for physical health and can be part of therapy programs. Studies show that nature can improve mood, reduce stress, and enhance mental health, making it an ideal location for a healing center.

HillsidesCares’ interior design uses colors strategically for different purposes. Vibrant yellow and orange are used in social spaces like the dining room, game room, and kitchen to create warmth, energy, and comfort. These colors stimulate collaboration and conversation among children, drawing attention and creating a welcoming atmosphere. For relaxing rooms like bedrooms, blue and green are used. Blue creates a serene and peaceful environment, while green, the color of nature, brings freshness. Together, they create a comfortable space that helps reduce anxiety and stress.

Figure 1.2 Space design

Holistic Approach for Treatment

HillsidesCares offers various treatment options for children aged 6 to 17 with mental health disorders. Specialist teams for each disorder ensure patients get the best possible care. Treatment programs include Residential Treatment, Partial Hospitalization, Intensive Outpatient, and Aftercare. These options allow patients to choose the most appropriate and personalized care for their needs, leading to better outcomes and a positive recovery experience. This inclusive approach ensures every patient has a customized recovery path.

Figure 1.3 Holistic approach

In conclusion, location and color play crucial roles in creating an effective, inclusive space, especially for children with mental health disorders. Visual design is essential as it provides the first impression to the target audience. The strategic location and interactive use of color engage the audience before they learn about the details of the healing center. From this, I understand that incorporating thoughtful color schemes and choosing a peaceful location are key to designing an inclusive and effective healing center for children. These elements help create a welcoming and supportive environment that addresses their mental health needs. Besides that, I have learned the importance of inclusive design and personalized treatment in mental health care. I gained insights into how a healing center can effectively cater to the diverse needs of children and adolescents with mental health disorders. The use of strategic color schemes and peaceful locations, combined with tailored treatment programs, creates a supportive and engaging environment. I also learned the significance of embracing patients from all backgrounds, ages, and genders, including LGBTQ+ individuals, without stereotypes. Providing equal respect and personalized treatment fosters a sense of comfort and support, which is crucial for effective recovery.

Through this assignment, I have learned about inclusive design and its application to a healing center, providing valuable insights for our next project. I gained a deeper understanding of mental health patients and the types of inclusive design that can meet their needs and embrace diverse backgrounds. Inclusive design ensures that every user has access, regardless of their background. As an interactive spatial design student, our task is not only to design but also to analyze users' needs based on features and environments, creating optimal designs for everyone. This assignment has given me greater confidence to tackle future challenges.

Assignment 2 & Final

In this assignment, we are required to design a healing space for Hospital Permai that caters to both patients and workers. Based on the needs of our client, Dr. Marina, we identified the problems currently faced by the hospital and developed an inclusive healing space that achieves our objectives.

Problem Statement

• Psychiatric hospitals tend to only have spaces catered to specific medical needs
• Psychiatric hospitals require a holistic healing space for a wide range of ages and mental disorders
• Collaboration spaces need to be monitored closely and users need to be carefully filtered as to not cause altercations between patients within the space

Objectives

• Create a multi-function healing space for mental health illness patient
• Create a high-tech and functional working space for psychiatrist to work in
• Cater to different individuals (patients & staff) for their needs and preferences
• Ensure that patients' behavior is secure and can be effectively monitored by psychiatrists
• Conceptual Idea

Our healing space is divided into four functional rooms. Given our limited space of only 40ft by 24ft, we face challenges that limit our capacity. Consequently, our rooms are small and compact with furniture. However, this does not stop us from designing functional rooms that are helpful in the healing journey for patients and also serve as a multipurpose working space for staff. Overall, we aim to create a nature-inspired space with high technology integration and flexible usage in our healing center. Every piece of furniture and technology implemented in the space is available on the market, proving that our integration is realistic if the budget is not a limitation. Below are descriptions of the different rooms and their purposes.

Figure 2.1 Consultation room and office

Consultation room and Office

• Hologram table
• Flexible desk
• Smart lighting
• Observation window
• Projector and screen
• Big window
• Adjustable seating
• Individual/Group Consultation & Therapy 

Figure 2.2 Sensory room

Sensory room

• Interactive bubble tubes
• Interactive infinity tunnel
• Interactive climbing poles
• Interactive flooring
• Sensory wall
• AR slime and sand table
• Sensory seating
• Fiber optics
• Adjustable lighting
• Sound system
• Wall padding
• Galaxy ceiling

Figure 2.3 Waiting room

Waiting room

• Modular seating
• Link and loop
• TV screen
• Green ceiling
• Immersive pod
• VR headset
• VR headphone
• Interactive projection

Figure 2.4 Collaboration space

Collaboration space

• Sink-in seating pit
• Hologram table
• Link and loop
• Smart wall panel
• Sound system
• Scenting system
• Group activities

Reflection

This assignment has provided me with real experience in interacting with clients, starting from understanding the problems they face and developing solutions to address their needs and even enhance them. I have learned a lot through this assignment, not only about development but also about collaboration with groupmates and leadership as a leader. Undoubtedly, this is a challenging yet memorable experience as a university student, working with an actual client who is the psychiatric doctor in Hospital Permai in Johor Bahru. This project has been both challenging and rewarding, marking a significant milestone in my academic journey. It was my first time fulfilling a client's requirements from a legitimate hospital, which made the success even more meaningful. Understanding our client's needs, despite our initial unfamiliarity with mental health issues, was crucial. Conducting research on psychiatric hospitals in Malaysia revealed that the issues identified were widespread, making our solution more impactful. The ideation phase was marked by open communication and mutual respect, leading to the creation of ZenHeal and Zen Garden Healing Space. Effective task delegation, with each team member contributing their strengths, further enhanced the project's quality. This experience has highlighted the importance of empathy, research, collaboration, and task delegation in achieving a successful outcome.