Lethe | S(m)oothing the trauma

Students: Lazaridis Georgios - Petros, Marantidou Alexandra
Supervisor: Voyatzaki Maria
University: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Department of Architecture Engineering
Presentation: 21/02/2014

The thorough study of the relationship between architecture and human, as well as of artificial memory, led to the elaboration of this diploma project. Its challenge is to explore the way, in which the space could accelerate and work as a complement in the forgetting of an event. The design of a support center, for people who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, along with residences for the healing period, is the main topic of this thesis.

The spatial distribution of the operations of the complex consists of the central part, where the organizational operations occur, and of 3 groups around it, divided respectively in individual residence units. Each group consists of six up to twelve units.

Specific information about the position of the units and the relationship between them, was generated after studying self-organized systems, based on groups of floating agents programmed with defined characteristics. The results were applied in the systematic study of one of the units.

As the study of one unit proceed, with the use of tools such as metaballs, agents, isosurface, aspects of the morphology, volume and perforation of the unit were explored.

The architectural aspect of the unit was formed from previous experiments, and contains a knitting system in the frames, which using smart materials (shape memory alloys) adapts to the needs and desires of its tenant, for light transmittance and extroversion.

A shelter comes to unify the units, with gradually increasing openings, towards the center of the system. The same way of knitting is applied in certain frames, to protect from adverse weather conditions. As a result, a coherent micro-environment is achieved, having units placed in strategic points, and tree lined paths unifying them, as well as with the other two groups.