The World Through My Eyes

Design Research:

I’m looking into the Asian and Hindu cultures and how they use bathing and exercise rituals as part of the healing process. Along with bathing, I'm looking at some other ways of healing as well. One in particular that I find interesting is the holistic treatments of Ayurveda. Ayurveda is a system of traditional medicine native to India, and practiced in other parts of the world as a form of alternative medicine.

Concept:

Natural Healing Elements

This space is for people who are temporarily wheelchair bound. They would be able to come to this spa to mentally and physically prepare themselves for the strenuous labor involved in rehabilitation. Along with bathing, this spa would offer oil massages, yoga, skin treatments, and counseling to its patrons.

Designing the bathing space:

Ayurveda believes in 'five great elements' earth, water, fire, air, and space. I used these elements, to aid in the design of the bathing space.

Space Element: My bathing area is raised 3ft off of the ground, allowing it to be separated from the rest of the facility. The floor plan is open using wall partitions to create the bathing area. This helps the space to seem open and as well as inviting. The ceiling consists of glass panels, also creating a more open and serene environment.

Plan & Ceiling Plan

Water Element: The pools are 3ft deep to allow its occupants to sit comfortably in the water and still be able to enjoy the space around them.

Earth, Air, Fire Elements: Ayurveda sees bathing as a therapeutic activity, which involves the three doshas (doshas determine a persons temperament), vata (air), pitta (fire), and Kapha (earth). Ayurveda explains that the three doshas govern all mental and physical aspects of the body. With this in mind, I have created three pools, cool for those with an air temperate, warm for those with an earth temperate, and hot for those who have a fire temperate. The different water temperatures enhance physical energy levels and improve mental clarity, while relaxing the mind and balancing emotions.

Since color also helps to stimulate the mind and body, I have chosen colors that represent fire, earth, and air to coincide with the different water rooms and water temperatures.

Section

Left room: Air with cool water pool
Pool (5x5 ft) room (15x15 ft w/ wall height at 8ft)
Center room: Earth with warm water pool
pool (15x15 ft) room (25x25 ft w/ wall height at 9ft)
Right room: Fire with hot water pool
pool (5x10 ft) room (15x20 ft w/ height at 8ft)