The healing nature of dwelling

Abstract

My thesis will discuss the historical pattern of mistreatment and misunderstanding of the chronically mentally ill and the continued struggle the population faces. I believe that architecture holds some of the answers for these issues concerning the "ill" and that environmental factors do play a large part in the effective treatment of this population. It is my intention to design a facility where the chronically mentally ill can live and communicate freely without the stigma that has plagued them for so long. I will use the tools that social theory, philosophers such as Heidegger and the concepts of phenomenology have given me to explore the question: how can architecture help heal the chronically mentally ill.