Date of Submission
Spring 5-1-2020
Degree Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Architecture
Department
Architecture
Committee Chair/First Advisor
Professor Mine Hashas-Degertekin
Abstract
Throughout history mental health has been an issue. Mental health has been labeled from a disease, to treatment, and to facility design. There have been design theories that have been looked at throughout the centuries such as anthroposohy, evidence-based design, generative design, planetree, salutogenic design, and specialist design. There has been facilities designed for people dealing with mental health such as residential, impatient, and outpatient. But, the impact of the environment on mental health plays a significant factor. Specifically, in the lower income neighborhoods which have a lot more issues in mental health that they face than people living in higher income neighborhoods. Mental health is a big issue in the lower income community. People living in lower income neighborhoods are exposed to more violence, gentrification, poor housing and lack of physical activity. The environment around a person can affect a persons mental health. There are facilities that are specifically targeted to people who have mental issues but not people who are living in low income areas. People that deal with this have high rates of substance abuse and even as extreme as schizophrenia and depression in these neighborhoods. People feel powerless because they feel like they cannot change their circumstances which make symptoms like social separation and avoidance amplified. The methodology I used to work on my thesis was through lit review, case studies, statistics, demographical analysis, analyzing experimental spaces, and interviewing people. My thesis is focusing on how a positive environment in the West End neighborhood community can help create positive mental health.