NHS HEALTH CENTRE

This is quite a different design proposal from my usual commercial design; a Health Centre for our National Health Service (NHS). This centre is specialised for treating mental illnesses but it doesn’t mean we are building an asylum! The term mental health is much broader. Believe it or not, every one of us might have experienced it once in our life time.

Mental health is about how we think, feel and behave. One in four people in the UK have a mental health problem at some point in their lives, which affects their daily life, relationships or physical health.

Reference: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Mental-health/Pages/Introduction.aspx?url=Pages/What-is-it.aspx

Basically, the design is to exploit the slope on the site. This would allow more space for emergency entrance, services and parking lots on the lower ground.

My senior designer insisted on creating a simple architectural box shape for the NHS building. However in making this simple box design it will be difficult for client to see the beauty of it without the assistance of 3d illustrations. Fine detailing is also a crucial factor to enhance the beauty of the design.

The design reminds me of the brutalism concept which heavily rely on concrete as the main material. Brutalism might work well to symbolise the nature of the building as a Mental health centre.

The term Brutalist Architecture originates from the French béton brut, or "raw concrete", a term used by Le Corbusier to describe his choice of material. The Brutalist style of architecture spawned from the modernist architectural movement and which flourished from the 1950s to the mid 1970s
Reference : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brutalism

I would disagree in certain aspect of the design. I've always believed that the surrounding environment plays some parts in helping one to quickly recover from one's illness. So, the brutalism shouldn't be used as the architectural style instead "architecture with nature" may promote healing and looks more appealing and calming to patients.

The building should be set in a park to create an inside-out experience through the calm nature. Although it is located in the middle of a town, the building should be invisible yet accessible to the public. I should introduce an interior garden and parameter green screen. Once you get inside the building it should bring you into a very different calming place...a peaceful sanctuary, far away from the bustling town, thus slowly ease the pain.

This several idea on the aspect of the natural healing in the design would be considered in the next design development. Maybe I could make a research paper about it.

Our environment (our home and business) often reflects our current psychological and spiritual state. Because we spend so much time inside these environments, they influence our efficiency, health, relationships and prosperity. Environment is stronger than will power. It is important to acknowledge these influences and create a balanced, harmonious place for ourselves, our family and friends.

Believe it or not, it's always true that people are influenced by the environmental magnetic resonance which has a great impact on the body physically or psychologically. Researches have been proved that people live next to power lines or mobile phone transmitters are at great risk of getting cancer or leukaemia clusters. Why? It's because of the bad environmental magnetic resonance from the power line or mobile phone transmitters outside.

Bad environmental magnetic resonance might also be caused within our room inside by the misplacement of the room or any object. When our living and work environments are out of balance, it may bring in disease (including cancer) and prevent those who live in the environment from responding to treatment.

Changes in the environment may help prevent disease and promote healing. For example, simply placing the bed of a person with cancer, or at risk of cancer, in a new position is thought to prevent the development or progression of the disease.

Reference: http://www.ehelps.org/about.htm

http://www.rgp.uk.com/ RGP have an innovative approach to architectural design. We have no dogma, no standard answers and we are spirited and fun to work with.

SWEET BRIAR RETAIL PARK, NORWICH

This is just a very simple A3 retail unit type located in an existing retail park.

The challenge on this tight-budget, functional and simple building is to make it interesting.
In this design the building's interestingness is created through:

1. Exposing the end detail structure of the building.

2. Installing a unique gutter shape

3. Composition of materials

4. Keeping rain water down-pipe (RWDP) in between the feature wall which will break the monotonous of a long wall thus turns RWDP into a feature detail.

This simple design creates more character and to a certain degree of detail towards making a simple building looks interesting without using a fancy, complex and expensive solution.

"We tend to feel as a highly creative designer in solving complex design, however in daily simple life we also actively solve simple design problem yet still makes you a creative designer."

http://www.rgp.uk.com/ RGP have an innovative approach to architectural design. We have no dogma, no standard answers and we are spirited and fun to work with.