Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Director of Thesis:
Thesis Advisor:
Authors Signature:
Design Critics:
Bob Hsiung
Morris Tyler
Hyacinth John
David Silverman
Christopher R. Becker
Dana Rowan
Brien Baker
Arthur Cohen
Sarah Oakes
Table of Contents
Dedication............................................................................5
Appreciation.........................................................................5
Biographical Note.................................................................5
THESIS INTRODUCTION
Challenging Disability...........................................................7
Disability and the Person......................................................7
Technology and the Person..................................................7
Auxiliary Aid.........................................................................9
From Prosthetics to Bionics..................................................9
Architectural Aids...............................................................11
Maison a Bordeaux.............................................................11
Conventional......................................................................13
Universal.............................................................................13
Multivalent.........................................................................13
PROGRAM INTRODUCTION
Maternity & Birth Center...................................................15
Woman in Labor.................................................................15
What Women Want While Birthing....................................16
The Medical Model............................................................17
Patient Centered Care........................................................17
Program Requirements......................................................18
INTRODUCTORY REVIEW
Preliminary Space Program................................................19
Preliminary Site Analysis....................................................20
Introductory Review...........................................................23
PRELIMINARY DESIGN REVIEW
Preliminary Design Review.................................................26
Circulation..........................................................................30
Program Adjacency.............................................................30
Critic Comments.................................................................31
SCHEMATIC DESIGN REVIEW
Schematic Design Review...................................................33
Architectural Facilitators....................................................34
Centering Pregnancy..........................................................35
Flexible Spaces...................................................................37
Preliminary Systems...........................................................37
Dedication
This thesis work is dedicated to my cousin Phillip
Hetman who in this year went home to be with our
Lord Jesus. Phil lived a remarkable life of 28 years
of which no physical, social, or attitudinal barriers
ever overcame the love and happiness with which
he shared to all those who knew him. I resolve to
never forget the lessons in patience, long suffering,
and enthusiasm for life that Phil imparted to me.
I also want to dedicate this work to my family
who has encouraged me through this sometimes
grueling five year journey. Benita and Gianna,
thank you for your love and encouragement.
Appreciation
Thanks are appropriate to those who helped me
put this thesis together, including Eileen Amy who
provided me with expert child birthing knowledge,
my coworkers Polly Welch and Emmanuel Andrade
who provided encouragement and critique, Russ
Feldman who provided excellent advice as Thesis
Advisor, and to my studio-mates Dan and Sumath
who always came with interest and thoughtful
suggestions. I also want to thank those who
provided special support over the years including
my parents, Iain Whitfield, and Hope Christian
Church.
Biographical Note
My family and I live in Melrose, Massachusetts.
Originally from Pennsylvania, I met my wife Benita
Samuel at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Married in 2008, I traveled for the first time to India
to see Benitas home at the Himalayan foothills
where she grew up among students and elders at
the Sharp Memorial School for the Blind, Indias
first school for the blind. For the past several years
I have been working for the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts to ensure that programs, services,
and facilities are inclusive and accessible.
5
Challenging Disability
What is meant by Challenging Disability? The
term is quite loaded with many possible meanings.
Challenging Disability is about re-examining our
understanding of what disability is, where and why
it occurs, and how architecture in particular has a
role to play in how we perceive disability.
Auxiliary Aid
An auxiliary aid helps a person with some
impairment enjoy and participate equally in
everyday activities. The hearing aid is a common
auxiliary aid which has been used in one form
or another for centuries. Often auxiliary aids
are designed to be hidden. However, in the past
and present, they have also been thoughtfully
fashioned to add to ones style and persona.
It is not always necessary to hide architectural
aids that assist persons with disabilities. Nor is
it necessary for these devices to be used for only
one purpose. A great precedent of a pleasing
and thought provoking architectural aid was the
installation of Water Lifts at the Duke of York steps
by Matthew Lloyd Architects during the London
Festival of Architecture 2010 (see Thesis Proposal).
private, intimate space. The multi-functional nature of the lift redefines our concept of what we w
otherwise consider as an accessibility feature.
lift is not the only element that gives particular attention to the needs of the users. Typical
siderations of privacy and common space are evident on all levels. Views into and out of the b
unrestrained on the ground level but highly selective in the upper floor. Views through the po
dows are provided at multiple elevations and would seem to accommodate viewing from seve
The lift is not the only element that gives particular attention to the needs of the users. Typical
age considerations
points.
of privacy and common space are evident on all levels. Views into and out of the bu
are unrestrained on the ground level but highly selective in the upper floor. Views through the por
windows are provided at multiple elevations and would seem to accommodate viewing from sever
vantage points.
10
25
25
n accessibility feature.
he ground floor
is a common space and when at the top becomes a very
accessibility
feature.
The multi-functional nature of the lift redefines our concept of what we would
n accessibility feature.
Architectural Aids
Maison a Bordeaux
The Maison a Bordeaux by Rem Koolhaas was
25
25
25
11
Challenging Disability:
An Inclusive, Experiential, and Multivalent Birth Center
sion
Degree of Inclu
Architecture moves us. It can comfort us or intimidate us; it can enlighten us or mystify us; it
can bring joy or tear at our hearts. Architecture moves us by touching three layers of memory.
Through primal space it can touch our deepest emotional core; evoking shadow memories of
the womb, the cave, the forest, and light. It can recall memories of culture, or our place in
the historical world. Personal memories add overlays of subjective meanings, as buildings are
associated with events in our lives.
- Christopher Egan, Architect, San Antonio
12
Conventional
Building codes and standards are based on
accepted conventions that prescribe minimum
requirements for the health, safety, and inclusion
of building occupants. Accessibility regulations
have provided substantial improvements in making
buildings work for more people. However, codes
and standards alone only go so far. Technical
requirements often do not take wide ranging
needs into consideration. They are specific in how
they address users needs and in their specificity,
sometimes discriminating against users that dont
fit the norm.
Universal
The concept of universal design, as formalized by
Ron Mace and accepted and developed by many
around the world, has greatly improved designers
awareness and approach to designing for diverse
users. Universal designs are adaptable in that they
seek to reach the needs of the broadest possible
users by being flexible and intuitive. A critique of
universal design is that often designers will seek
a lowest common denominator. Applying the
principles of universal design in this way can have
the effect of making designs generic or banal. As
an example, consider the automatic sliding door.
This entrance device will work for just about
anyone, however there is no user interaction with
the environment and emotive experience is lost.
Multivalent
Perhaps the best way to provide inclusive
environments is to consider the multivalent
aspect of great design. Often great architecture
is compelling because of the many challenges
the design presents to the user; social, political,
historical, aesthetic, and even physical. Challenging
architecture is by nature diverse. It causes the
user to ponder upon it. A multivalent architecture
will also go beyond adaptive use and expand
into designed elements that facilitate the user by
meeting the user where they are.
13
access to
89%
control of sight
98%
access to
84%
same room
97%
access to
76%
ambulation space
access to
98%
69%
partner comfort
access to
96%
61%
control of light
94%
ow
er
ed
Dilation
excitement emp
Mood & Intensity
14
is
an
x
ious I c
an d th
o
id e
fat
gu
ed
rest
str
on
g
ys
ul
Ia
sta
yb
ym
ju
to 50%
Fig. 7 Puget Soundaccess
Midwives
and Birth Center, LLC. Sawyers Birth Story
Author unknown. Online Source: http://nerdandhealthnut.blogspot.com/2013/07/sawyersNewburn, Mary, and Debbie Singh. Creating a Better Birth Environment. Womens views about the design and facilities
in maternity
units: a national survey. London:
The National Childbirth
Trust, 2003. http://www.nct.org.uk/sites/default/
birth-story.html
(accessed
November
2015)
files/related_documents/BBE_report_311003.pdf.
str
on
g
ju
Ia
reathe
st b
dazed
rt
ale
hold me
this is my baby
Woman in Labor
A woman in labor undergoes many shifts in mood
Graphic adapted from the following source:
and intensity of pain during contractions, pushing
Esali Birth. Esali Births Transformation of Labor Diagram. 2013. https://esali9.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/eb-laborthe baby closer to the moment of birth as herprogression.png.
cervix dilates. Careful architectural considerations
have the ability to influence the process of birth
and facilitate labor. Allowing room for movement
is essential while giving birth. Other environmental
stimuli can regulate the mothers mood by
providing positive brain activity.
15
access to
89%
clean room
control of sight
89%
access to
98%
84%
control of sight
98%
access to
84%
same room
97%
access to
76%
97%
same room
access to
76%
ambulation space
ambulation
access to space69%
access to
partner comfort
access to
98%
98%
69%
partner comfort
access to
Family/Su
99%
access to
61%
96%
96%
61%
control of light
control of light
94%
94%
access
access
to to
50%50%
16
Newburn,Mary,
Mary,
and
Debbie
Singh.
Creating
a Better
Birth Environment.
views
* Newburn,
and
Debbie
Singh.
Creating
a Better
Birth Environment.
WomensWomens
views about
the about
design the
and design
facilitiesand facilities
inmaternity
maternityunits:
units:
a national
survey.
London:
The National
Childbirth
Trust,
2003. http://www.nct.org.uk/sites/default/
in
a national
survey.
London:
The National
Childbirth
Trust, 2003.
http://www.nct.org.uk/sites/default/
files/related_documents/BBE_report_311003.pdf.
files/related_documents/BBE_report_311003.pdf.
The Medical
Model
The Medical Model
and Patient
Centered Care
Patient
The Medical
Provider
sional/Support
fessional/Support
eathe
Patient
17
had
Professional/Support
Mother/Support
99%
89%
98%
4%
97%
98%
96%
94%
Program Requirements
18
is
ous I
can
d o th
str
on
g
d Mood
sta
yb
ym
ju
t breathe
s
The State of Massachusetts has a set of regulations that governs how Birth
Centers operate which
de extends into architectural space. The required spaces can
i
s
be conceived iny three groups
family support spaces, mothers support
fat including
spaces, and professional support
spaces.
gu
ed
rest
ul I a
dazed
rt
ale
Utility
Reception
Admin.
Records
Amb.
Bay
Lab /
Med
Store
Exam
Exam
Exam
Exam
Classroom
Exam
Exam
Classroom
Recovery Suite
Delivery Room
Movement Studio
Recovery Suite
Delivery Room
Storage
Common Space
Recovery Suite
Delivery Room
Clinician
Office
Clinician
Office
Nursey
Family Support
Delivery Room
300sf
50ft
Building Support
Professional Support
7,900s.f.
5,000s.f.
8,000s.f.
100sf
10ft
8,800s.f.
200sf
30ft
Community Support
500sf
Library
Delivery Room
Mechanical
Clinician
Office
Conference
Delivery Room
Circulation
100sf
S = spa
t = toilet
19
DENSE CANOPY
SITE SELECTION
WINCHESTER HOSPITAL
CONSERVATION BOUNDARY
PATH OF TRAVEL
EASY
MODERATE
DIFFICULT
100 SCALE
150
DANA A
V
ENUE
5%
20
7%
3%
7%
RDER ROAD
NORTH BO
70 90
110 130
DAN
A AV
E.
Middlesex Fells
Conservation Land
x 180
13
NORTH
HIG
HLA
ND
AVE
N
UE
North
Reservoir
HIGHLAND AVENUE
6%
9%
4%
80
21
Early thoughts on
programming were centered
around the mother and
baby. Programs that
were considered to have
supportive functions were
placed in relation to the
center. These programs
included environmental
supports, professional
supports, community
supports, and architectural
or utility supports. Certain
programs were thought to
be overlapping and others
discrete.
22
Introductory Review
February 19, 2015 - The goal for the introductory
review was to introduce the thesis concept, intent,
methods of inquiry, and terms of criticism. Most of
these areas of exploration were developed in the
previous Thesis Proposal semester. Several design
precedents were given. A preliminary site analysis
was also presented. The panel was interested in
how I would manipulate the site to achieve the
thesis intent. Some expressed interest in why a
topographically challenging site was chosen for
a project with the stated goal of inclusion and
accessibility. Overall, the panel encouraged further
exploration in how environmental factors may play
a role in giving birth. It was suggested that I work
with a client that has expert knowledge of the
process of childbirth.
Other paraphrased notes taken from critics at the
introductory review:
I appreciate the thesis idea and program. I suggest
that you look more into the environmental effects
and how they impact a persons [mood]. Sensory
aspects...this needs to be done analytically.
What is the natural system [referring to the site
context]. How natural is it? Is it a scavenger
landscape? If so, what are you going to...[place in
it]?
Be clear what your attitude is toward your thesis.
23
24
SITE ANALYSIS
HIGHWAY
ROADWAY
COMMUTER RAIL
PEDESTRIAN TRAIL
MULTI-USE TRAIL
DENSE DEVELOPMENT
MODERATE DEVELOPMENT
LIGHT DEVELOPMENT
SPARSE DEVELOPMENT
SITE SELECTION
NODES
LANDMARKS
25
THIRD FLOOR
SECOND FLOOR
FIRST FLOOR
LOWER LEVEL
FAMILY SUPPORT
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT
BUILDING SUPPORT
SECTION A
26
PRODUCED
L PRODUCT
100'
PRODUCED BY AN AU
60'
100'
60'
ORDER R
OAD
100'
NORTH B
HIGHLAND AVENUE
100'
HIGHLAND AVENUE
150
60'
100'
DANA AVEN
UE
SECTION B
7%
3%
7%
80
6%
9%
4%
TIONAL PRODUCT
DANA AVENUE
SECTION A
27
PRODUCED BY AN AUTO
DUCATIONAL PRODUCT
100'
60'
100'
60'
RDER RO
AD
100'
NORTH B
O
HIGHLAND AVENUE
100'
DANA AVENUE
SECTION A
HIGHLAND AVENUE
150
60'
100'
DANA AVEN
UE
28
7%
3%
7%
80
6%
9%
4%
SECTION B
PRODUCED BY AN AUTO
DUCATIONAL PRODUCT
100'
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK ED
60'
100'
60'
RDER RO
AD
100'
NORTH B
O
HIGHLAND AVENUE
100'
HIGHLAND AVENUE
150
60'
100'
DANA AVEN
UE
SECTION B
7%
3%
7%
80
6%
9%
4%
DANA AVENUE
SECTION A
29
Circulation
Circulation in medical facilities is highly
specific and often includes separate
circulation routes for patients, medical
professionals, and utilities. Providing
a more integrated circulation system
was a goal in order to provide care that
was centered on the mother and family.
A central spine from which programs
branched off from was developed.
Initially, it was thought that this path
could be a ramp weaving up sloping site.
This concept was developed further into
the final design.
Program Adjacency
In the preliminary design, groupings
of programs were put together
that provided for overlap and cross
connections between the mother, other
community members, and professionals.
These spaces were though of as
supportive spaces for prenatal care as
well as labor and delivery.
30
Critic Comments
The following are a few of the
comments made at the Preliminary
Design Review:
Raising the elevation of the spaces is
very desirable. Natural light is very
good/natural for birth and those
who are part of the process.
Identify what other qualities are
desirable for birthing.
Consider movement between
facilities during normal routines and
emergencies.
The location presents a challenge
that will require architecture to
solve.
31
32
33
Architectural Facilitators
N
34
Centering Pregnancy
In typical maternity care settings, a woman
will meet alone with their obstetrician or
midwife about a dozen or so times in the nine
months leading up to birth. These prenatal
appointments can be as short as 15 minutes.
Often women will sit in a waiting room for ten
minutes to half an hour for their appointment.
Some women forgo these appointments for a
variety of reasons, which can be detrimental to
their health and the health of their baby.
The Centering Pregnancy model groups
about 8- 10 women together in prenatal
appointments and typically meets for 90
minutes a session. Mothers learn about their
pregnancy together and benefit from mutual
aid. Providers are able to spend more time
with their patients. This model has proven
benefits in better health outcomes, promotes
self care and creates community.
This project incorporates the Centering
Pregnancy model for prenatal care. The
sketches on this page diagram space tailored to
the Centering Pregnancy model.
35
36
Flexible Spaces
Preliminary Systems
37
38
INFANT NURSERY
4th Level
BIRTHING HOUSES
2nd Level
39
40
41
Maternity Center
42
Birth Center
Concluding Remarks
One important idea in this thesis was to display how a
multivalent design can be inclusive and evocative. Multivalence suggests very contextual design ideas which
often include complex interrelationships between the
users, the site, program, tectonics, scale, and a variety of
other architectural considerations. Sometimes decisions
are made which challenge the norm, such as creating an
intimate environment for birthing mixed with some very
public functions. Because of similar juxtapositions, I believe
this project was able to challenge preconceived ideas on
disability and childbirth in ways that may not have been
uncovered otherwise.
In working out this thesis, there was a constant challenge to
balance attention between the ideas surrounding disability
and the program of birthing. Often, the birthing program
took over as the more tangible thing to work with, which did
not always benefit the thesis intent. Part of the challenge
in working out this thesis included the chosen constraints
of a difficult site and complex program. However, in the
end I believe it is because of these constraints that the
project achieved the stated goals of challenging disability
and creating an inclusive, experiential, and multivalent Birth
Center.
43
Site Location
A narrow, sloping site was chosen
on Highland and Dana Avenues
in Winchester, Massachusetts.
The residential neighborhood
boarders the Middlesex Fells
nature preserve. A respite from
the urban neighborhoods that
surround it, the site is located
only seven miles from Boston
and Cambridge. Within walking
distance is the panoramic views
of the North Reservoir. The
Winchester Hospital is located
at the top of the Hill on Highland
Avenue.
WINCHESTER
HOSPITAL
CAMBRIDGE
BOSTON
(7 miles)
(7 miles)
BLUE HILLS
NORTH RESERVOIR
MIDDLESEX FELLS
PARK / CONSERVATION
DA
NA
AVE
.
H
VE.
A
D
LAN
HIG
44
3/64" = 1'-0"
Site Plan
The long and narrow lot combined with
the topographical challenges of the site
drove certain aspects of the design. An
exterior path through the site provides a
public route through the site and into the
Middlesex Fells park land. An alternate
route to the inaccessible sidewalk along
Highland Avenue, the path presses into and
is protected by the South facing side of the
building. At the center of the site is a large
open plaza which acts as a gateway to the
conservation lands beyond.
80
90
100
110
15 SETBACK
(all sides)
VISITOR/STAFF
PARKING
(20 spaces)
plaz
a
120
Site Accessibility
55
ER
VISITOR
PARKING
(8 spaces)
87
90
60
110
MIDDLESEX FELLS
DCR PROPERTY
PATH TO HOSPITAL
VIA HIGHLAND AVE.
PATH TO HOSPITAL
VIA MIDDLESEX FELLS
(length from site = 0.4 mile
average slope < 5% )
PUBLIC
PARKING
(9 spaces)
100
100
NO
RTH
57
80
90
100
70
BO
RD
80
AVEN
U
RO
AD
DAN
A
120
350
85
STAFF
PARKING
(5 spaces)
115
75
LAND
AV
ENUE
70
HIGH
120
100
Maternity Center
Long Section
positive audible and
visual distractions
acuity-adaptable
rooms for care and
comfort
Upper Level
9 lab/med storage
10 private exam rooms
11 provider lounge
mid level
5 Centering Pregnancy
6 public plaza
7
cafe
8 kitchen
lower level
1 reception
2 retail corner
3 mechanical room
4 laundry room
10
11
46
*Source: Healthcare Environmental Terms And Outcome Measures: An Evidence-Based Design by Anjali Joseph, Ph.D.;
Eileen Malone, RN; Debajyoti Pati, Ph.D.; Xiaobo Quan, Ph.D. Published by The Center for Health Design, November 2011
Birth Center
South Elevation
Fig. 8,9 & 10. Above. Sofia Borges and Sven Ehmann. Print Source: Hide and Seek: The Architecture of Cabins and Hideouts, September 2014.
47
Birth Center
Long Section
connecting hallway to the Maternity Center
exterior
B 52
4
4
Birth Center
1
nursery
2
ambulatory hall
3
family room
4
birthing house
resting corner
5
48
interior
control of views,
daylighting, and
ventilation
partner comfort
*Source: National Childbirth Trust. Policy Briefing Midwife-led Units. Authors unknown.
Published November 2011.
49
Maternity Center
Floor Plans
Expectant couples are initiated to the building
program through the Maternity Center. The
entrance to this building is at the lower end
of the site on Highland Avenue. The couple
is greeted at the reception area and may
browse the retail corner while waiting for
their clinician or group to start. Individual and
group prenatal services are located on the mid
and upper floors.
The Maternity Center serves as an accessible
gateway to the Middlesex Fells Park from
Highland Avenue. Public toilets are provided
at the main entrance where an exterior
pathway leads visitors and park goers to the
plaza level. Indoor and outdoor tables and
seating are provided.
50
Storage
DN
El.
El.
Lobby
Office
El.
Yoga
Studio
Lockers
SEC
Exam
Group Space
TIO
N-
mid level
5 Centering Pregnancy
6 public plaza
cafe
7
8 kitchen
Storage
20'
circulation and
public use space
Centering Pregnancy
program space
El.
El.
UP
back of house
function space
SEC
1
El.
TIO
N-
UP
lower level
1 reception
2 retail corner
3 mechanical room
4 laundry room
20
51
51
20'
Maternity Center
Perspectives
Birth Center
Sections
utilities
1
2
3
4
5
water/ heating
water/ potable
water/ gray
oxygen supply
nursery
ambulatory hall
family room
birthing house
resting corner
SECTION C
SECTION - B
54
Birth Center
Floor Plans
vertical circulation
to Maternity Center
emergency egress
2
KITCHEN
KITCHEN
ROOF
HATCH
5
KITCHEN
SECTION - B
emergency egress
4
4
Supportive
Community Space
Birthing House
and Family Space
Provider Space
and Nursery
55
Birthing House
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
sitting area
kitchenette
bathroom
bedroom
shower/tub
deck
path to trails
Interior Materials
1
furnishing
birth
1/4"=
detail work
interior walls
5
composite image
56
Fig. 11 Bottom Left. The Building Information Foundation Rts. Print Source: Finnish
Sauna: Design and Construction. August 2014.
Hydrotherapy in Childbirth
The child-birthing community is warming to the
long practiced use of hydrotherapy during labor
and/or delivery which has proven benefits that
include pain management and stress reduction
(see appendix, Hydrotherapy During Labor and
Birth). A calming and relaxing space is created
by natural materials and references to nature.
57
METAL CAP
WOOD BLOCKING
MEMBRANE ROOF
BRICK FACADE
RIGID INSULATION
RIGID INSULATION
METAL STUD
PLYWOOD SHEATHING
ALUMINUM MULLION
FILL INSULATION
HEATING ELEMENT
GYPSUM BOARD
COMPOSITE DECK
CENTERING
PREGNANCY
CONCRETE SLAB
CRUSHED GRAVEL
EARTH FILL
14 FOUNDATION WALL
CONCRETE FOOTER
SECTION - A
58
CONSULT ROOM
STEEL DECKING
MATERNITY SHOP
GROUP SPACE
PROVIDER OFFICES
BRICK TIES
VEGETATED
MEMBRANE ROOF
STANDING SEAM
METAL ROOF
A
58
Structural Systems
ROOF HATCH
CONCRETE BLOCK
VERTICAL SHAFTS
NATURE VIEWS
STEEL COLUMNS
AND GIRDERS
STICK FRAME
BIRTHING HOUSES
PLAZA
BOILER
CONCRETE BLOCK
SHEAR WALLS
BIRTH CENTER
ENTRANCE
egress
egress
14 CONCRETE
FOUNDATION WALL
PUBLIC PLAZA
ENTRANCE
CY
GEN
R
E
EM S
S
EGRE
MATERNITY
CENTER ENTRANCE
Site Sustainability
59
Maternity Care
Building
Birthing House
fan
sun
shading
intake
air
intake
air
60
exhaust
intake
ventilation
operable
window
exhaust air
potable
water
Room temp.
exposed surfaces
Radiant
Birthing Tub
61
62 - THESIS PROPOSAL
Challenging Disability
Challenging Disability:
Challenging Disability:
THESIS PROPOSAL
Christopher Becker
December 9, 2014
Christopher
Becker College
Boston Architectural
December
2014
Masters of 9,
Architecture
Thesis Proposal
Boston Architectural College
Masters
of Architecture
Ian Taberner
Thesis
Thesis Proposal
Program Director
Ian
Taberner
James
Nuzum
Thesis
Director
Thesis Program
Seminar Instructor
James
Nuzum
Susan Twomey
Thesis
Instructor
Thesis Seminar
Studio Instructor
Susan Twomey
Thesis Studio Instructor
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Table of Contents
Thesis Summary
Abstract
Thesis Statement
Methods of Inquiry & Terms of Criticism
Program Selection
Site Selection
Case Studies
Sketch Problem
Building Systems Integration
Health and Wellness Contribution
Schedule
Annotated Bibliography
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Thesis Summary
Christopher Becker
Christopher.becker@the-bac.edu
617-922-5096
Challenging Disability: An Inclusive, Experiential, and Multivalent Birthing Center
Abstract:
Disability as an idea is evolving. Commonly thought of as a physical condition, disability extends beyond
functional biology and includes social and environmental factors. Accessibility regulations have
increased functionality of the environment for a limited percentage of users primarily focusing of issues
of physical mobility. Universal design advocates have attempted to reach a broader range of users.
While an improvement over generic accessibility code requirements, universal designs often require the
user to adapt to the designed product in a reductive way. Recognizing the success of universal models,
this project attempts to challenge notions on how diverse users can participate in a program facilitated
by an inclusive, experiential, and multivalent design. The Birthing Center is an ideal program to
challenge notions on disability and the built environment. The complex physical, social, emotional, and
spiritual nature of pregnancy and labor complicates concepts on disability. The program provides fertile
ground to evaluate how thoughtful design can better facilitate the birthing experience for a diverse
range of users.
Thesis Statement:
In order to adequately address the many factors that result in discriminatory environments, we must
challenge generic and reductive measures instead favoring systems that provide for multivalent,
inclusive, and experiential architecture.
Methods of Inquiry:
Evaluate how architectural facilitators and environmental stimuli can better suit diverse users.
Critique accessibility design standards and universal principles in addressing diverse users.
Discover how technical advances and social developments are challenging notions on disability.
Terms of Criticism:
Do facilitators and stimulations provide for a more fulfilling user experience?
Do spaces and constructions assist, adapt, and facilitate according to the diversity of users?
Does the architectural language and experience challenge and contribute to notions on
disability?
Building Typology:
Health and Wellness, Birthing Center: education, labor, delivery, and recovery services for
diverse users.
Approximate program size: 25,000 35,000 sf.
Site and Location:
A 60,000sf parcel borders the scenic Middlesex Fells Park. Situated between the North Reservoir and the
Winchester Hospital complex, the site is topographically challenging but sensually rewarding.
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Abstract
Challenging Disability is about reinvestigating our understanding of architecture and its relation to
diverse users. Prior to working as a disability rights advocate, I had little concept of the close
relationship between architecture and disability. I knew that buildings were required to be accessible
according to code requirements. I also knew that universal design methodologies were useful in
creating more inclusive environments. However, I had little understanding for the difference between
these two concepts, their strengths, and their limitations. The goal of this thesis is an attempt to
reinvestigate and challenge my own notions on disability and architecture.
In the middle of this degree program I encountered a phenomenal life changing event, the birth of my
first child. When I was thinking about this thesis topic in relation to my recent life experience, I knew
that a birthing center was an excellent choice in program. Pregnancy and labor are not usually
associated with disability; however, the immediate functional realities are quite similar. While some
women may experience only minor life adjustments during pregnancy, others may have their world
totally reorganized. One thing that I learned through witnessing the process of pregnancy, labor, and
delivery first hand is that the environment has a significant effect on the experience of the birthing
mother. All too often this relationship is ignored.
English artist Alison Lapper is well aware of the common tendency to define a person based on
disability. Faced with criticism during her own pregnancy, Lapper has become a popular symbol for
overcoming adversity. Her figure, cast by Marc Quinn has been placed in prominent exhibits worldwide.
Often women in a similar situation to Lapper face discrimination or disapproval in childbirth, some of it
by the built environment.
An inclusive birthing center will provide a supportive environment for laboring mothers and their
support communities regardless of physical, sensory, or mental difference. Unlike accessible design and
universal design, a multivalent approach will assist, adapt, and facilitate the birthing experience for
diverse users through spatial relationships and architectural constructions.
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Thesis Statement
Often we think of disability as something known and measurable. In fact, disability is ever present but
very difficult to define. There are probably over a dozen separate disability theories that attempt to
address the question of disability.
For the greater part of the last two centuries, disability has been understood through a medical/physical
model. This model characterized a disabled person as someone whos physical, sensory, or mental
characteristics differed from a prescribed norm (Johnstone, 16-18). Practitioners who ascribed to the
medical model understood disability as something that could be solved through prescribed treatment
(ex. symptomatic therapy or medication) or by assistive technologies (ex. prosthetics or mobility
devices).
Architecture is inextricably linked to disability. Advocates in the disability rights movement properly
diagnosed one of the major sources of disability, environmental barriers. The evolving social model of
disability suggests that disability occurs when a person encounters some form of discriminating
environment. Architectural barriers are a prime culprit.
Initially, designers tasked with addressing barriers approached the issue through the medical model of
disability. Accessibility requirements were prescribed to buildings and often applied as afterthoughts.
While providing a level of access previously unavailable, designs based on technical requirements were
specific to only a specific group, usually pertaining to the wheelchair user.
Technical requirements in the accessibility codes are highly specific to people using wheelchairs for
mobility. They include ramp slope maximums, reach ranges, and clear widths. Assistive devices such as
the elevator, hand railings, and grab bars are added to strategic locations. Overall, the architectural
elements are discrete and often seem out of place. The use of these features draws unwanted attention
further strengthening isolation. A majority of these conventional regulations fail to address persons
who are deaf or blind. There is no consideration given to chemical sensitivity, spatial phobias, or any
other mental or social responses.
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Advocates and well intentioned designers soon became aware of the inadequacy of relying on code
requirements for inclusive spaces. The Universal Design (UD) movement proposed an intentional design
thinking to consider the broadest range of possible users throughout all phases of the design process
(Erkilic, 194). Products of UD tended to reform the medical-specific style of objects for a more formalist
and generic appearance. A goal of UD was to make products appealing to all users rather than call out
differences.
The UD movement has made significant advances in how we conceptualize inclusive spaces, however, it
is not without criticism. The generic nature of Universal products becomes problematic for some people
who could in reality benefit from specific references to their disability (ex. a person who is blind benefits
from detectable warnings). Often Universal designs require the user to adapt to the product, rather
than the product adapting to the user. Finally, end products often lead to solutions that reduce sensory
experience in exchange for generic consumption.
A universal entry with level landings inside and out has a sliding glass
door that automatically opens with no users interaction required.
The intent of this thesis is not to suggest that conventional accessibility requirements or UD is somehow
faulty or inadequate. This is partly true because a successful or failed design will always depend on how
these design systems are applied, either with careful thought or with blatant disregard. More
importantly this thesis is intended to suggest that disability is a complex concept, and therefore our
architectural systems should be equally complex and thoughtful. A multivalent (Jenks) approach to
architectural design is needed to address the complexities of diverse user groups in the built
environment. Designers must take an activist approach in addressing diversity and environments.
Designs should facilitate participation and inclusion in the architectural program.
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Multivalent architecture acts as a catalyst on the mind, provoking wholly new interpretations which, in
however small a way, affect the individual. The range, delicacy and complexity of meanings which exist
in a multivalent work have an analogous effect on the mind that interacts with them. Ultimately, we are
transformed by what we experience
Charles Jenks, from The Language of Post-Modern Architecture
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MOI: Provide critique on accessibility design standards and universal principles in addressing diverse
users.
Too often we are confronted with buildings that have so many technical devices, systems, and features
that all sense of experience is lost. The simple task of traveling through a doorway can cause unease for
no apparent reason. There are automatic doors, hot air blowers, double door vestibules, bright artificial
lighting, security cameras, the list goes on. Technical aspects of design are important but applied
without careful consideration and planning degrades the experience of using and occupying a building.
The same can be said for accessibility features. Too often, they are unnecessary distractions. If
originally designed with a diverse range of users these additional requirements may not be necessary.
At the same time, there are real physical needs for buildings to assist the user, and not just the user who
happens to have a disability.
TOC: Do spaces assist, adapt, and facilitate according to the diversity of users?
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Program
In choosing a program, my main goal was to select an environment that would be experienced by a
broad range of individuals with differing physical and emotional conditions. In order to fully address
both emotional and physical needs it was important that the program carry a broad range of
multisensory capabilities. Simultaneously, the program needed to be specific enough to address
intimate and personal needs
Birthing Centers have been gaining widespread popularity among couples who wish to have safe,
natural, and intimate birthing experiences. The primary user, the laboring mother, challenges our
preconceived notions of disability. However, she may not be the only user that experiences disabling
environments during the process of labor. The unique requirements of a birthing center and its
diversity of users is an ideal program to challenge our understanding of disability and explore inclusive,
experiential, and multivalent environments.
Practical programmatic requirements include:
o Intimate, sensory environments for laboring couples
o Functional environments for supporting members
o Supporting environments for physical and emotional transition
o Site characteristics that support the above programmatic requirements
There are many different types of birthing centers available to couples. Some birth centers closely
mimic a home birth environment. At The Farm Midwifery Center in Tennessee was founded by home
birth and midwifery pioneer Ina May Gaskin. Cottages are available for short term or extended rental.
Couples are paired with a midwife for labor and delivery.
Alternatively, the Cambridge Birth Center, affiliated with Cambridge Hospital, is located in renovated
single family home in an urban context. The center accommodates several couples at a time. Providers
work closely with the affiliated hospital located across the street.
At the other end of the spectrum, some large hospitals and specialty have reworked their maternity
wards to more closely resemble changing demands. At the Nicollet Womens Center in Minnesota,
labor, deliver, and recovery rooms are based on spa like hospitality. Suites support alternative birthing
methods such as water birthing.
From left to right: The Farm Midwifery Center Earth Shelter, The Cambridge Birthing Center, and the
Nicollet Womens Center. Photo credits are attributed to each of the above listed organizations.
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Program
Massachusetts Department of Public Health regulations, 105CMR define what programmatic
requirements must be provided at birth centers. The diagram below shows a summary version of the
legal requirements. The programming is based on four basic users, the birthing mother, family, and
clinical workers. The medical model tends to require hierarchy, specification, and separation of spaces.
The medical model also tends to put clinical considerations at the center of the model.
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Program
The Womb
Nestled in the confined cabin of the rocking dory, the sleeping child was safe and warm from the
ranging sea just beyond the thin shelled hull. The hull, pinned by several sturdy bulkheads, separated
the cold and turbulent waters and sealed in the stale, salty, life giving, ocean air. The warm glow of the
swinging lantern flickered and danced through the thin film of the cabin portal and fell upon the wet
and weathered face of the sailor. The light kept the sailor alive and alert knowing that her child's fate
lay in her resolve against the tempest; resting beneath the sea in the bowels of her vessel.
The womb is the most sacred place on earth. It is a marvel of biological architecture. It contains the
mystery of life and delivers generation after generation. The womb is well adapted to carry whatever
nature holds for it whether its content is small or large or comes in multiples. The womb reacts to,
responds to, and nourishes its inhabitant.
It is reasonable to suggest that the space in which labor takes place should mirror the performance of
the womb. The womb is full of subtle, multi-sensory experiences. Light penetrates the uterine walls
providing life's first clues to time and space. Sound travels through its membranes and is recognized as
comforting audible tones. Even changes in diet provide variety in taste through the amniotic fluid.
These supporting principles can take place in architectural space outside the womb as well. Such a
space will provide emotional support during the process of labor, delivery, and acclimation to the
beginning of life.
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Program
In order to provide an inclusive, experiential, and multivalent birthing center, it is important to consider
the range of possible users. To be as inclusive as possible, the program should accommodate the needs
of women who may have significant challenges in labor and delivery as well as those who may have less
difficulty. This most likely will require a range of supports including some level of medical supports.
However, as a whole, the birthing center should be distinct from a typical maternity ward providing as
much supports for natural birthing as possible.
Birthing is a community effort. While most of the attention will remain on the birthing mother, it is
important to consider the many people involved in the birthing process. Supportive family members
should be included as much as possible to the extent that is granted by the laboring mother. The clinical
providers are equally important and should be integrated as much as possible into the program. A
patient centered model will allow integration of all team members toward the single goal of a safe and
compassionate birthing experience. It may be beneficial to explore how the mother can actively seek
out services rather than services being brought to the mother. This proactive approach may be
beneficial in promoting the natural birthing process through movement and intuition while enabling the
mother to make her own choices during delivery.
A majority of programed spaces will overlap and have detailed and complex relationships to one
another. This will aid in bringing the community of supporters together for a common goal. Intimate
spaces particularly for the moments leading up to the birth and just afterward will have greater degrees
of privacy. Family spaces will also provide degrees of privacy.
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Program
Program Sheet
Activity
NSF Totals
Mother/Baby Suite
6 x 800 = 4,800sf
Delivery Room......600sf
Toilet....40sf
Spa..160sf
Family Support
7,000sf
Recovery Suites 4 @ 1,200sf
Common Space.3,000sf
Community Support
5,000sf
Movement Studio...1,600sf
Classrooms (20 occ.)..........2 @ 800sf
Conference Room ..800sf
Library ....800sf
Nursery ..800sf
Professional Support
5,000sf
Admin Offices....800sf
Reception .600sf
Records ..400sf
Lab and Med Store ....800sf
Exam Rooms 6 @ 200sf
Clinician Offices .3 @ 400sf
Utility
1,900sf
Waste, Laundry, Clean Storage ER equipment, Ambulance Port
Subtotal
25,000sf
Circulation = 20% of Subtotal.5,000sf
Mechanical = 20% of Subtotal + Circulation6,000sf.
GSF = 36,000sf
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SITE
TOWN OF WINCHESTER
NORTH RESERVOIR
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Site Analysis
The selected site is located alongside the Northwest corner of the Middlesex Fells Park in Winchester,
MA. In this location the conservation land is squeezed between the North Reservoir Dam and Highland
Avenue. A small slice of residential area lies between these two edge conditions. On the west side of
Highland Avenue is the Winchester Hospital.
The park system provides many miles of trails for walking and although only seven miles from Boston,
one is immediately transformed to a more serene setting at the edge of the Fells. The reservoir provides
a visual relief from the otherwise dense urban and suburban environments of greater Boston. The park
system is a great location for observing the changing of seasons or even a rainy day from the inside of a
dry and warm space.
In my process of site selection I gave primary consideration to open space and natural environments.
The experiential qualities of nature provide an excellent setting for the process of labor and delivery
which tend to induce high levels of stress. Simply providing an open window to the sky or to the colorful
tree tops could be enough to calm oneself back into the labor mantra.
The proposed site is located on Highland Avenue on a strip of 60,908sf of land which is currently under
development. Access can also be created to the site from North Border Road. Due to the difficult
topography it may be necessary to negotiate a land purchase from the Town for an additional 25,000sf.
This property is owned by the Town of Winchester and is not part of the Middlesex Fells Park.
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Site Analysis
A second consideration, counterintuitively, was to select a site with some challenges to inclusion.
Locating the birthing center in the heart of Boston on a flat site with easy access to transportation and
walkable sidewalks would make perfect business sense. However, choosing a challenging site from the
standpoint of physical accessibility will force the design to respond to these changes. Therefore, a site
was chosen with some topographical challenges.
Socio-economically, Winchester is certainly not the most inclusive town. However, looking beyond the
immediate setting, there are diverse communities within a twenty minute drive including Malden,
Everett, Woburn, Somerville, Boston, and Burlington. It is highly likely that people from these
communities will consider the birthing center in Winchester over their local hospitals.
We can also apply the concept of inclusivity to the built environment. Strong communities are often
made of up diverse uses. This diversity at the urban scale may include a mixture of zoning, open space,
institutional, and industrial settings. Density of use is inclusive when varied. Strong communities
benefit from centers of dense commerce as well as residential breathing room. The semi-urban radius
around the site provides all of the above conditions.
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The Maison a Bordeaux is located on a hill in Floirac beyond the city center. The house was designed by
Rem Koolhaas as a planned retreat away from city life and into the bucolic suburb for a client and his
family. In the middle of the design process, the client, a father of two children, was in a car accident
which resulted in a severe disability that affected his mobility. As the story goes, to the surprise of
many, following this incident the man declared, he wanted Koolhaas to design a complex house rather
than something simple.
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The Maison a Bordeaux is comprised of three distinct house levels stacked one on top of the other. The
subterranean
is utilitarian
with aof
fullthree
kitchen,
service
rooms,
a tv parlor.
level The
The Maison alevel
Bordeaux
is comprised
distinct
house
levelsand
stacked
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topground
of the other.
appears
very open
egalitarian.
walls disappear
into anand
open
enclosed
with alevel
subterranean
leveland
is utilitarian
withItsa glass
full kitchen,
service rooms,
a tvporch
parlor.
The ground
lightweight
curtain
on an overhead
track.disappear
This levelinto
showcases
public
life of with
the house.
appears very
open mounted
and egalitarian.
Its glass walls
an openthe
porch
enclosed
a
The
floor overhead
encasedon
in aandense
shell.track.
It contains
the personal
quarters.
The
mass
balances
lightweight
curtain ismounted
overhead
This level
showcases
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life
of the
house.
delicately
the site.
Nothing
any special
accommodation
disability.
The floor over
overhead
is encased
inindicates
a dense shell.
It contains
the personalfor
quarters.
The mass balances
delicately over the site. Nothing indicates any special accommodation for disability.
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It is the inner workings of the house that reveal the critical considerations particular to the intended
user. While a series of stairs are provided in the building, the signature method of vertical access is by
way of a generously sized platform that raises and lowers on a hydraulic column. This is not an ordinary
lift. It has no walls, and no ceiling. Its size is comparable to a small study or bedroom. The fact that it
has no walls and no ceiling allows it to become an integral part to each living space in addition to an
assistive device. When lowered to the extreme bottom, the subterranean void is filled with light from
above. When raised to the ground floor is a common space and when at the top becomes a very
private, intimate space. The multi-functional nature of the lift redefines our concept of what we would
otherwise consider as an accessibility feature.
The lift is not the only element that gives particular attention to the needs of the users. Typical
considerations of privacy and common space are evident on all levels. Views into and out of the building
are unrestrained on the ground level but highly selective in the upper floor. Views through the porthole
windows are provided at multiple elevations and would seem to accommodate viewing from several
vantage points.
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As is the case with many great buildigs, the Maison a Bordeaux is not without its problems. At the time
of the filming of the popular documentary HouseLife the structure required a full set of maintenance
experts, technitians, and diagnostics experts just to keep the insides dry. The short film, which follows a
day in the life of Guadelupe the aging housekeeper, chronicalls these deficiencies as well as other
oddities of the house. The house is by no means the quintessential model of accessibility. While the lift,
when it is working, provides barrier free access to all levels, the stairs are another story all together.
Even the most adept climber would take care traversing them. All of its deficiencies aside, the design by
Koolhaas takes great strides at challenging our conceived notions of what a house should look like,
particularly in light of the tragic events in the life of its owner.
In Domus 966, artist Petra Blaisse revisited the Maison a Bordeaux through an interior rennovation. The
rennovation included installing designed curtains and other furnishing throughout the house. According
to author, Niklas Maak, Blaiss work mirrors the ingenuity of the architects design by, disolving
boundaries and mobilizing formerly static elements(Maak). Just as Koolhass utilized the moving floor,
Blaisse provides furnishings that drifts between interior space and the outside. Standing on the exterior
porch under the massive weight of the upper level, the curtain flows freely. The support is spectacularly
hidden and the laws of physics seem to have been redefined. The moving curtain provides a tactile,
sensory expirience, perhaps one that would delight someone with limited visual accuity just as well as a
person who is fully sighted.
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This redefinition is important. Not only in terms of architectural ingenuity but in terms of the physical
and social realities of users, particularly persons with disabilities. Too often, architectural design has
been an oppressive force in disabling users. Whether it is the stair in front of the entry door, the more
subtle inaccessibility of an overwhelming space, a cacophony of visual stimuli, or any other number of
oppressive self-serving forces. The Maision a Bordeaux teaches us that architecture does not have to be
conventional, universal, or banal. A very contextual, challenging design, a multivalent architecture, is
capable of communicating among a diverse user group with differing needs and abilities.
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Building Technology
Case Study 2: Waterlift, Duke of York Steps, London Festival of Architecture 2010
Matthew Lloyd Architects. Photo by Matthew Lloyd Architects
The Duke of York Steps in central London near Trafalgar Square is listed as a Grade I historic
monument. The stairs are also a tremendous barrier for anyone who has difficult climbing stairs.
Matthew Lloyd Architects proposed an ingenious installation to the problem of access and historic
preservation.
The Waterlift is entirely powered by solar energy and uses water weights and battery backup. The
series of lifts are self-supported and do not require any modifications to the historic materials. Most
compelling is the social context that the lift is situated in.
It is common for accessibility features to put persons with disabilities on display unnecessarily. The
lifts, while very prominent and visible, actually draw attention away from the user and toward the
architectural context. One user stated that operating the lift gave him a positive sense of being an
important actor on a center stage rather than being ushered in privately through a back entrance, as is
often the case with access.
The viewer is confronted with the concept of sustainability as a holistic topic that includes the body,
the environment, and the social context. I believe that this project speaks directly to the intent of my
thesis in challenging our perspective on architectural accessibility and disability as a social
construction and the implications of that reality.
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The following people and organizations may be assisting me in developing my thesis and program:
Client: Baby + Co.
Currently operating in two states, Baby + Co. provides clinical services in pregnancy, labor,
delivery, and postpartum care. Birthing and wellness classes are also provided. Baby + Co. is
currently looking to expand their services to the Northeast.
www.babyandcompany.com
Brian DiSanto
Controller
Fifth Floor, 45 Prospect St.
Cambridge, MA 02139
bdisanto@babyandcompany.com
617-510-5327
Carla Hackett
Director of Site Development
chackett@babyandcompany.com
Thesis Advisor:
Based on feedback from the Thesis Proposal Exhibition and Review I think I would benefit from
the following Thesis Advisors:
Bob Hsiung, FAIA
Ralph Jackson, FAIA
Resources:
Institute for Human Centered Design. Boston.
American Association of Birth Centers. Perkiomenville, PA.
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Sketch Problem
What would an entrance to an inclusive, expiriencial, and multivalent birthing center look like? This is
the question I asked myself thoughout the 24 hour sketch problem assigned. The brief was to sketch an
entrance informed by the proposed thesis. Prior to the sketch problem, I had already performed some
analysis on generic entrances. These sketches show possible entrnaces to an exisiting historic building.
The accessible entrance is achieved by the addition of a ramping sytem which bypasses the monolithic
stairs. This option provides an accessible route to the entrnace but the paths are separate and unequal.
The universal entrance cuts clear through the historic structure, requires significant alterations to the
building, and alters the historic expirience. An inclusive, expiriential, and multivalent entrnace is left as
a question mark in this series of sketches. For the thesis proposal sketch problem, I was given an
oppourtunity to detail the questionmark.
Sketch Model: Wire mesh coverd with cotton cloth on a cardboard base, approximately 12x12x6.
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Schedule of Reviews
Introductory Review February 2015
In the first review I will clearly present my thesis proposal, site selection, and program selection. I will
need to have a clear understanding of terms of criticism and methods of inquiry. Definitions should be
well defined, understandable and used fluidly. It will be important to clearly define what inclusive,
experiential, and multivalent means in architectural terms. Feedback from the introductory review will
be used to inform and strengthen the thesis.
Preliminary Review March 2015
In the second review I will present a concise thesis concept, site, and program based on feedback from
the introductory review. In order to prepare for the preliminary review I will need to clarify the exact
nature of the program and how it fits the site and social context. A few schematic options should be
included to encourage discussion on how the thesis concept is coming through in site and program
implementations. Schematic material may include site analysis drawings, concept models, program
research, and architectural case studies.
Schematic Review May 2015
In this last review of the Thesis I semester, I will present a single scheme for an inclusive, experiential
and multivalent birth center. To achieve this I will need to show architectural and programmatic
elements in concept and detail. This can be done through sketches, diagrams, models, and select
detailed drawings. In the schematic review, evidence of material, structure, construction, and systems
should be present.
Design Development Review September 2015
The first Thesis II review should include a fully conceptualized thesis, program, site, and building. It will
be important to include detailed, scaled drawings and models. Section drawings and models will show
material connections, structure, spatial relations, and program. Elevation drawings will show interior
and exterior furnishings and materials. Draft renderings will express sensory aspects which support the
thesis.
Final Thesis Review November 2015
The last review will consist of finalized work including presentation boards, presentation models, and
Thesis book.
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Annotated Bibliography
Beesley, Phillip, Omar Khan, and Michael Stacy, eds. Acadia 2013: Adaptive Architecture. Unknown:
ACADIA and Riverside Architectural Press, 2013. Print.
rd
This is a compilation of project from the Proceedings of the 33 Annual Conference of the Association
for Computer Aided Design in Architecture. Broken down into section of Tex-Fab Skin, Materials,
Energy, Interactive, Information, Robotics (ect.), Structures, Design Posters, and Poster Research, the
projects listed provide a catalog of possible architectural interventions that could contribute to an
adaptive and flexible architecture for diverse user groups. It is a visual and information source for
possible geometries that would complement my thesis.
Eberhard, John P. Brian Landscape: The Coexistence of Neuroscience and Architecture. Oxford: Oxford University
Press, 2009.
This book is written by an architect who has dedicated a lot of his work and research in an effort to
understand how the mind perceives architecture and how that relates to experience. This work relates to
my thesis in that it suggests that disabling environments are partly so because of how the mind relates to
architectural space. Eberhard provides several hypotheses on how the human mind comprehends
architectural environments and calls the reader to consider experiences of architecture in the human
mind.
Goldberg, Gale B. Birth Center: A Working Method for Designing a Maternity Health Care Facility. M.Arch Thesis.
ed. Cambridge, MA: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Architecture, 1979. Print.
This comprehensive thesis project lays out detailed programming requirements for a natural birthing
center. This thesis will be helpful in identifying programmatic requirements to consider. I will need to be
careful not to simply copy these program requirements. Rather, I will use this resource as a starting
point and critically review ideas according to my particular thesis and context.
Jenks, Charles. The Language of Post-Modern Architecture. London: Academy Editions, 1977. 306-09. Print.
A term which I use heavily in this thesis is multivalent. I was searching for this concept in architectural
theory and found it in Jenks writings. So, while I may have been thinking along the same lines, I must
attribute this term to Jenks as I believe he may have been the first to use it widely in an architectural
context.
Johnston, David. An Introduction to Disability Studies. 2ndnd ed. New York, NY: David Fulton Publishers, 2005. 1618. Print.
This general education book provides a brief and concise catalogue of the history and direction of
disability studies. It is a resource that will be used to investigate my thesis accurately. The thesis heavily
relies on disability theory.
Lemoine, Louise. Koolhaas: Houselife. 2nd.nd ed. Paris: Beka & Partners, 2010. N. pag. Print.
This source is both a book and a movie that gives insight into the peculiar house in Bordeaux. I used this
book as a source for my case study examples.
37
THESIS PROPOSAL - 95
Lifchez, Raymond. Rethinking Architecture: Design Students and Physically Disabled People. Berkeley:
University of California Press, 1987. Print.
A pioneering book in terms of addressing architectural attitudes toward disability, this is a foundational
book in my developing understanding of disability as a social construct and how architectural thinking
can challenge the status quo. This book is a basis for the spirit of my thesis however, may be less
applicable in practical architectural solutions as much of the book is dedicated to teaching pedagogy.
Erkilic, Mualla. "Conceptual Challenges Between Universal Design and Disability in Relation to the Body
Impairment, and the Environment: Where Does the Issue of Disability Stand in the Philosophy of UD?" METU
JFA 2011.2 (2011): 181-203. Web. 10 Dec. 2014.
This is an essay on the benefits and shortfalls of Universal Design which the author suggests avoids
some realities of disability. I found this to be a well thought out article that asks difficult questions
about design, disability, and the built environment.
Maak, Niklas. "Fifteen years after the Rem KoolhaMaison Bordeaux: A textile revisitationas/OMA project,
through a series of equally simple but radical gestures in textile, Petra Blaisse/Inside Outside has
transfor." Domus 2013.2 (2013). Web. 10 Dec. 2014.
Maak provides a look at the work of interior designer Petra Blaisse and her work on the redesign of the
Maison a Bordeaux. This short essay is a compelling read and hints at architectural devices that provide
assistive, adaptive, and experiential sitautions for diverse users.
Pearn, Michael. "The Attitudes of Disabled and Able-Bodies Visitors to Heritage Sites: A Case Study of Devon and
Cornwall."www.arasites.org/mpearn/mpearnphd.html. Post date unknown. Web. 10 Dec. 2014.
Pearn provides a very detailed case study on tourism and historic adaptation. Specifically he addresses
cultural attitudes toward disability and the built environment. This article is worth revisiting to
determine whether architectural facilitators are discussed.
Rogers, Judith. The Disabled Woman's Guide to Pregnancy and Birth. New York, NY: Demos Medical Publishing,
2006. Print.
This is a practical resource for women experiencing pregnancy and birth with a disability. The resources
provide specific obstacles and challenges that mothers with disabilities may encounter. I will rely
heavily on this resource to identify what architectural facilitators would benefit this user group.
Wendell, Susan. The Rejected Body, Chapter 2: The Social Construction of Disability. New York: Routledge. 1996.
This author critiques our contemporary understanding of disability through the framework of feminist
theory. Chapter two specifically addresses how disability is largely based on social constructions that
discriminate against certain user groups that appear to differ from a normative concept. This work is just
one reference in a body of theoretical work on disability which supports my thesis. Theoretical
components of my thesis will rely heavily on ideas such as those presented by this author and her
contemporaries.
38
96 - THESIS PROPOSAL
APPENDIX
APPENDIX - 97
Site Model
NORTH
11x17 site model made of CNC cut foam base and hand carved balsa block
98 - APPENDIX
APPENDIX - 99
IMAGINE
VALS THERME BATHS HOLISTIC MATERNAL WELLNESS
AS
PETER ZUMTHOR
100 - APPENDIX
AND
BIRTHING CENTER
VALS, SWITZERLAND
Steilneset Memorial
Vard, Norway
http://ad009cdnb.archdaily.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/52153a6ee8e44e4ee3000058_ad-classics-saint-benedict-chapelpeter-zumthor_untitled_6813530352_o-528x351.jpg
http://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2011/12/dezeen_Steilneset-Memorial-by-Peter-Zumthor-and-Louise-Bourgeois_3a.jpg
http://www.architravel.com/architravel_wp/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/bruder-klaus-chapel_kentriki.jpg
https://m1.behance.net/rendition/modules/22549365/disp/234b6ab5ebd66482a6caa2cdf819ffd8.jpg
http://vardorestored.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Steilneset-4-1200x675.jpg
http://www.baukunst-nrw.de/bilder/full/424_419620.jpg
http://www.douban.com/note/191583263/
http://uwarch-belog.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/MACKEYalden_05feb14_image5.jpg
http://hicarquitectura.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/001.jpg
Laetitia Casta by Dominique Issermann, http://www.dominiqueissermann.com/#!laetitia-casta-book/c19nm
Challenging Disability:
Methods of Inquiry:
Evaluate how architectural
facilitators and environmental
stimuli can better suit diverse
users.
Critique accessibility design
standards and universal principles
in addressing diverse users.
Discover how technical
advances and social developments
are challenging notions on
disability.
Terms of Criticism:
Do facilitators and stimulations
provide for a more fulfilling user
experience?
Do spaces and constructions
assist, adapt, and facilitate
according to the diversity of users?
Does the architectural language
and experience challenge and
contribute to notions on disability?
Christopher Becker
Introductory Review
February 12, 2015
CONVENTIONAL
UNIVERSAL
MULTIVALENT
Thesis Advisor
APPENDIX - 101
102 - APPENDIX
Resume
Christopher Becker
EDUCATION
(617) 922-5096
christopher.becker@the-bac.edu
SKILLS
Boston, MA
Graduating 2015
Grand Rapids, MI
5/2006
EXPERIENCE
Boston, MA
2/2014-current
Boston, MA
9/2011-6/2012
Boston, MA
11/2009 -9/2011
Grand Rapids, MI
11/2008 11/2009
Collingswood, NJ
6/2002-8/2008
INTERESTS
BSA EPNET chair holder 2009-2011; BSA affiliate member; AIAS member since 2003;
international culture, food, and history; sailing, skiing, track and field; pen and ink drawing.
Cambridge, MA
Spring 2010
APPENDIX - 103