Live Laugh Love – Elevating people through architecture

Live Laugh Love – Elevating people through architecture

PREMISE
Our social behavior is a direct projection of our mental and physical well being, it goes without saying that it directly impacts lifestyle, livelihood and eventually the prosperity of an individual. A deterioration in mental health adversely affects all the above and is, therefore, an element to ensure a healthy life. The social stigma that exists with mental disorders has led us to a scenario where there are 300 million people estimated to be affected by depression, which is curable if identified at early stages. It is now a common mental disorder and one of the main causes of disease worldwide. The onset of digital ease and presence of social media in the past decade has helped connect people in the virtual realm.

How do we move ahead to a more physical solution and use design/infrastructure as strong tools for the same?

CHALLENGE

The staggering numbers itself is proof that mental health disorders have become a common health issue. Even though the numbers here are so alarming there is a lack of knowledge and awareness for mental health diseases. As a result, it has still not categorized mild mental disorders (Depression, Anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Social Anxiety etc.) as serious health issues. This is because the repercussions of such ailments on individuals are not seen immediately and can be observed over a period of time.

It affects the personal as well as professional lives gravely and, in some cases, have led to substance abuse and eventually death. People affected with depression or any other disorders tend to isolate themselves from the real world and get trapped in a quicksand of negative thoughts.
Can a community based architectural intervention provide a space for having an open dialogue among the people? How can design integrate spaces for therapy and counseling on a larger scale that breaks the social stigma against mental disorders?

Brief: Design a small-scale community center exclusively for people suffering and coping with deteriorating mental health. The programmatic outline can be flexible and may include functions like spaces for one on one counseling, art/music/dance therapy studios, spaces for open dialogues etc.