A plan for Metropolitan State Hospital : imagery as a therapy for an institution

Abstract

This thesis is both text and illustration to describe the process of transforming a state mental institution from an outdated, outmoded, conventional hospital into a living community. The goal of the project is to develop an institution not restricted by rigid forms or designs - a flexible, responsive environment of the type required by rehabilitation therapies and medical practices that are constantly evolving. Emphasis is placed on environmental factors that impact the personal daily life on campus, including facilities for work, communication, learning, recreation, and enjoyment of the wider landscape environment The project is to transform Metropolitan State Hospital in Belmont, a Boston suburb, into a therapeutic transitional and educational community. This work is a diary from a journey of discovery through moral, political, and economic territory. It is a guidebook to help in the process of architectural form making. The images are suggestions and questions.