The architecture of hope; the power of architecture in cancer care
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Typ
Examensarbete för masterexamen
Master's Thesis
Master's Thesis
Program
Architecture and urban design (MPARC), MSc
Publicerad
2024
Författare
Dahlberg, Ida
Modellbyggare
Tidskriftstitel
ISSN
Volymtitel
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Sammanfattning
Statistics show that 1 in 3 will get cancer during their
lifetime. However, 72% of everyone diagnosed with
cancer in Sweden survives and many live on with
cancer as a chronic disease. As the number of people
surviving with cancer increases, so does the need for
additional support besides medicinal care.
In 2023, a cancer care centre was opened in
Gothenburg, Kraftens Hus (eng. the House of
Power). The centre would by focusing on life, not
the disease, provide care continuum, long-term
psychosocial support and a community for sharing
thoughts and experiences. Today, the centre is
renting space at a local church. However, there are
issues with privacy and freedom of movement within
the building and when the organization of Kraftens
Hus grows, there will also be an issue of space.
Evidence suggests that a building could have a
healing effect on a physical state. There is also
a discussion on a building’s possibility to affect
a mental state by atmosphere. A building could
embody a sense of hope.
This thesis’s purpose is to investigate: How can
a future vision of Kraftens Hus in Gothenburg be
designed for spatial and contextual needs while
influencing physical health and an emotional state of
hope?
Literature studies, case studies and interviews
are conducted to investigate the spatial needs and
context for a future Kraftens Hus. Relevant theory
is gathered on healing architecture and hope through
atmospheric architecture. Findings are presented as a
site proposal, an architectural program and 6 design
strategies for healing and atmospheric architecture.
The design strategies include movement, social
scale, light, nature, sensory experience and volume.
A design proposal is made to combine findings and
to answer the research question.
I believe that a future vision of Kraftens Hus can
be designed for spatial and contextual needs while
influencing physical health and an emotional state of
hope. The different factors could even complement
each other and foster the experience of hope and
hopefully, the thesis can contribute to the discussion
on cancer care and physical and emotional support
besides medicinal care.
Beskrivning
Ämne/nyckelord
Kraftens Hus, Cancer Care Centre, Healing Architecture, Atmospheric Architecture, Hope