DC WELLNESS
When | November 20-22, 2016
Team | Leah Bauch, Emily McGowan, Asma Sanee, Xiang Xhao, Rachel Matthews
Occasion | Healthcare Design Conference Student Charrette
Location | Washington, D.C.
Brief | The topic of the 2015 Healthcare Design Conference Student Charrette was one which envisioned a joint venture between the US Department of Agriculture and the Food & Drug Administration in a facility along the National Mall. This charrette took place during HCD in Washington in conjunction with three other university teams - Ball State University, University of Kansas and Cornell University. Our site was located at the foot of the Washington Monument with the USDA buildings facing two portions of the property. The proposed project was a 60,000 SF wellness and outreach center. Incorporating the theme of past, present and future was a requirement to be met in program as well as design. It was up to the different teams to interpret, execute and challenge the program based on their concepts and ideas. Throughout our kickoff meeting at SmithgroupJJR, quick tour of the National Museum of American History and walking around the site it was clear to us that the project should be a monument to health. We wanted to demonstrate this in the form of a museum as well as a casual health clinic. This clinic would also have community center components like cooking and fitness classes as well as space for providing healthy food options, which currently isn't available on the National Mall.
STATUS QUO IN WASHINGTON & CHARACTER STUDIES
The D.C. population accurately depicts the diversity across this country and prompted us to think about and study different character profiles which would encounter D.C. Wellness on a frequent basis. These characters were mapped out in relation to time and space to aide us in understanding what is extremely needed on the National Mall.
THE PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE
The Steris Charette organizers charged the four groups to focus on the past, present and future that is evident on the National Mall. We focused on that theme in form, plan and interaction. The past, or static portion, consists of the museum portion, galleries and orientation lobby. This lobby would incorporate features to welcome guests as well as orient them as to the facility and the programs within. The present, or transitional portion, consists of the health clinic where visitors can be educated on their health as well as take part in group info sessions, training labs, consultations etc. The future, or soft portion, consists of the active spaces that satisfy needs of community gatherings such as demonstration kitchen, group therapy, community garden, healthy restaurant, cafe and fitness classes. The support services fit back into
PROGRAM, PARTI & DESIGN PROCESS
The topography of the site slopes down to frame a view of the Washington monument. This allowed us to form the facility to encourage the celebration to the monument. We also began with the past portion of the program as a first time visitor would access D.C. Wellness and then slopes down to the future portion. The elements of the static facility and the transitional street of Jefferson drive which offers as a buffer between the facility and the soft green space east of the Washington monument. Environmental implications were also considered as the use of remaining and newly planted trees protect the building and open communal areas. The program responded to all of the mentioned elements by shaping to form the iconic framed view of the Washington monument as well as facilitate the use of the wellness center by opening out into the community. D.C. Wellness also breached across Jefferson Drive in an attempt to claim open green space by denoting where the potential for healthy food trucks could be located.
PLANS & VISION
D.C. Wellness encompasses three levels. First time visitors proceed into the facility on the ground floor via a ramp that connects the upper level to the bottom open site. The underground level feeds out to the open public level but also provides privacy underneath the ground level for the programmatic elements of the health clinic. Finally, the upper level houses the support space for staff members.