HARBOR

This integrative wellness center was developed in the wake of COVID-19 to consider the needs of students recuperating from the pandemic.

Informed by the effects of depression on the mind and body, Harbor was conceived to focus on the treatment of depression symptoms through routine visits. A focus on sustainability research and indoor environmental quality, including day-lighting strategies, biophilia, and material specifications, was employed to further develop relationships between the human body and spatial form.

 

Type: Wellness
Site: Bayard Building | NoHo, New York
Duration: 6 weeks - Spring 2022

Skills: Illustrator, Photoshop, hand drawings
Distinction: Pratt Earth Action Week, Selected Project

COVID-19 DEPRESSION - symptoms

Brain Fog
lack of clarity of thought
+ lung damage; lack of oxygen
+ inflammation affecting brain cells
+ autoimmune disorder
+ lack of blood flow
+ infectious cells in the brain

Isolation
lack of community
+ mandatory quarantine
+ self isolation due to fear
+ anxiety around socialization
+ guilt for lack of communication
+ fear of getting others sick

Unraveling
lack of purpose
+ lack of meaningful work
+ loneliness
+ basic tasks feel out of reach
+ loss of stimulus; zero motivation
+ invariable activity

COVID-19 DEPRESSION - treatments

Contact
contiguity and proximity
+ socializing, even at a distance
+ establishing a safe confidant
+ audible / voice check-ins
+ scheduled “screenless” time
+ group activities

Momentum
driving energy forward
+ small steps and to-dos to achieve
+ consistency
+ exercise
+ working towards a goals
+ adaptability

Function
having an objective
+ tasks
+ shared responsibility
+ accountability
+ solution therapy
+ commitment

 

Site diagrams and daylighting analysis aided the exploration of how natural-light enters, fills, and reflects within the space. Skylights and thoughtful program placement take advantage of these conditions and allow sunlight to warm and wash over occupants in spaces that may otherwise feel dark and secluded. With an emphasis on sustainability, material selection became paramount to the design solution.

Left: Daylighting Analysis, 10 am, June 1 and Dec 1 Right: Daylight Analysis, 4 pm, June 1 and Dec 1

 

Clay plaster derived from naturally sourced materials helps regulate humid air by absorbing and releasing moisture naturally, responding to changes in the interior space. The clay plaster walls eliminate the need to repaint surfaces as they resist dirt, grime, mold, and fading. Clay plaster has no off-gassing, zero-VOC materials, and high durability. It does not require high energy to produce, and when shipped dry, it offers the lowest carbon footprint per pound of any interior wall finish. The clay plaster of the walls and ceilings facilitates a comfortable thermal environment, giving off a cooling effect during the summer while storing heat in the winter.

Reclaimed wood, salvaged or repurposed locally, yields a very low carbon footprint. Reclaimed wood comes from older forests and is more durable and stronger than grown-for-production virgin wood. The lumber removed to create skylights and floor openings is reused within the site to build vertical circulation, enclosures, and furniture.

The thickness of walls plays a role in both thermal and acoustic control. Dense walls produce warm, protected, quiet spaces for moments of reflection throughout the center.

LIVING GREEN WALL - indoor air quality

The green wall includes toxin-reducing plants such as peace lilies, English ivy, lady palm, dracaena, and spider plants, which help remove harmful VOCs from the air, including benzene, formaldehyde, xylene + toluene, ammonia, and trichloroethylene. It also acts as a sound-absorbing agent forming an area of quiet repose.

 

  1. Support system

  2. Waterproof backing board

  3. Rear draining layer

  4. Dripline

  5. Capillary breaks

  6. Growing medium

  7. Box

  8. Plants

+ Remove significant quantities of VOCs from the air
+ Reduce CO2 levels by 10-25%
+ Absorb, diffract and reflect sound
+ Improve oxygen balance
+ Remove toxins
+ Balance humidity

PLANTS:
Peace Lilies, English Ivy, Lady Palm, Dracaena,
Spider Plants

REMOVE:
Benzene, Formaldehyde, Xylene + Toluene, Ammonia, Trichloroethylene

Understanding the range of motion, line of sight, location, and ratios of the human body as it engages with its surroundings informed the design’s ease of access, comfort, and breathing space allocation.

On the second level, a variable temperature movement space allows for collaborative practice and social interaction. The meditation room acts as a perimeter for a still, shallow pond—using the repetition of familiar circular forms and the presence of water to aid serenity, all the while advancing the sense of calm and safety.

Supported by a greywater system that also collects and reuses rainwater, a double-height water wall provides active noise control as reflective sound-canceling but also adds the biophilic flowing, pattering, and rippling of water to soothe and pacify guests.

GREENWALL
air quality + acoustics
+ absorb, diffract, and reflect sound
+ balance humidity
+ remove toxins + VOCs
+ improve oxygen balance
+ reduce CO2 levels by 10-25%

WATER
acoustics + biophilia
+ provides active noise control as reflective sound-canceling
+ adds the biophilic flowing, pattering, and rippling sounds to soothe guests
+ greywater system collects and reuses rain and wastewater

SKYLIGHTS + GLASS PARTITIONS
thermal + air quality
+ natural light
+ bounce/reflective light
+ retain warmth
+ diffuse light

CLAY PLASTER
thermal + air quality
+ naturally sourced
+ regulates humidity
+ absorbs moisture
+ resists dirty, grime, mold, and fading
+ zero VOC or off-gassing
+ high durability
+ cool in summer / warm in winter