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INTERVIEW TO THE GROUP THAT MANAGED THE RESTALING OF CENTRO SORANZO
1. In the redesign of the spaces for new uses, what limits and what potential showed a structure, so regular, as former powder magazines? The original context consists of 11 military stores for ammunition that remember the pavilion typology. The pavilion structure is a housing model in use in the tradition of therapeutic communities, (although not widespread) and sanitaria clinical. The regular distribution was one of the nodal points from which we developed the design. Of the "army regular structure", the project maintains the austerity and simplicity rhythmic, but the project broke the uniform appearance through the use of composite color and thus it induces a strong perceptual change. The use of indoor and outdoor spaces, the relationship between residential and therapeutic functions, private and collective, have been re-thought and re-distributed by reconciling the specific needs determined by the activities of the centroSoranzo and the original pavilion structure.
2. How was improved the interior space based on the "new" activities planned? The improvement of the interior space arises from an integrated planning: energy and climate requalification, architectural redesign, interior design and info graphics. The final project intertwined and influenced all these aspects thought a process of analyze and design that lead to original solutions, highly functional to the use of the space. The color plan, studied with the therapeutic team, has been applies both outside and in the interior: color compositions ware studied for residential spaces (bedrooms, bathrooms, corridors) creating original ambient, unique, removing the military uniformity. In the collective spaces (therapeutic and relaxing) we choose a range of neutral colors: wood, neutral tints with predominantly white; with the exception of cafeteria, where the color composition of walls and furniture is colorful, creating a convivial atmosphere. A further aspect of the internal spaces project, is the decision of using high quality design furniture and home accessories in order to create a private residential aesthetics. Finally, as therapeutic strategy it was decided to increase the natural light inside the buildings and create a relation between the inside and the nature outside; opening large windows in existing buildings and placing a new glass wall in the new one.
3 - How have you managed to involve health workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, graphic designers, artists and guests of the residence in the restyling of the centroSoranzo? It was the will of the CO.GE.S. (Client) to manage the process of change trough a co-creation. The intention was that rethinking the centroSoranzo spaces was instrumental to the improvement of the therapeutic and the interdisciplinary work of the team; avoiding the risk of dropping a project from the top or worse, investing in an operation that was only aesthetic, excluding the ethics of care. This idea lead to identify the role of "coordinator of the process" (artway of thinking), capable of managing interdisciplinary and inclusive processes of transformation, with experience on the sector of private social care, and with the philosophy of solidarity that characterizes it. With this vision it was created a group of interdisciplinary professionals interested and able to work together, to co-create, by integrating the different perspectives and approaches. At the base of the co-project process was set the continuous dialogue with the operators of the center: team of scientific research (psychiatrists, researchers, neuro-scientists), psychologists, educators, community workers. A survey made of analysis of the spaces, interviews and discussions on design solutions, allowed the group to formulate the project line, integrate concrete and specific instances of Soranzo’s reality, and at the same time to reflect on the improvements achievable in terms of service offering and labor organization. Along the process, meetings with the guests of the center ware made, in order to inform them of the evolution of the space. The integration of a participatory process within the program of the requalification on site has been possible thanks to a rigorous management of the time schedule that was set up ad hoc.
4- What is the idea behind the redistribution of functions, the choice of furniture, furnishings and finishing solutions? In summary, we can say that the basis of the restyling project is the integration of two spatial and therapeutic concepts: 1. Living in community, sharing spaces and moments of everyday life, preserving a private sphere, intimate, protected, in a simple, familiar and welcoming environment, which is inspired by the values of FICT / Italian Federation of Therapeutic Communities and the "Progetto Uomo" model; 2. The residential model of North Europe therapeutic clinical and the vision that an environment based on beauty and harmony have a positive effect in the therapeutic care.
5- How much and in what way the method of care Soranzo is reflected in the design choices? As we have previously expressed, the spatial and therapeutic concepts "therapeutic communityresidential clinic", have been at the base of the restyling project. In synthesis, we add some scientific aspects of the therapeutic method Soranzo that have been developed in the architectural design and communication. During the design project we integrate two main steps that are at the base of Soranzo therapeutic care: 1. Get in touch with the emotions "frozen" and express them; 2. The use of non-verbal methods such as bio-energetic, bodywork or art therapy. Working with the scientific team we could translate in architectural forms these neurological and perceptive premises. We come to choose compositions of colors and shapes more suitable to stimulate the right brain and the emotional dimension of the individual; decreasing the frenetic activity rational-cognitive of the left hemisphere. Each room has been calibrated in the colors and shapes, and in the relation between full and empty, neutrality was used in spaces hosting body or bio-energetic therapies. The decision to open large windows and create a new relationship between indoor and the outside park have responded to the need to create an harmonious relationship with nature. There is basically a concept on which all: client, neuroscientists, psychiatrists, doctors, architects, artists and graphic designers agreed: The key words of a good project that looks at the wellness of human being are: Simplicity, Beauty, Harmony and Hospitality.
6- What specific measures have been put in place to re-qualify the functions, the energy performance and environment in the whole structure? The restyling project of centroSoranzo, with its new functions and improving energy performance plane, is the result of a collaboration between architects, artists, graphic designers, psychologists, psychiatrists and guests of the Center. It reflects the principle of the Soranzo therapeutic method that put the beautiful as primary therapeutic element. Fulcrum of the functional reorganization is the wooden building extension in the entrance, identify as main pavilion, characterized by large window protected by asymmetric overhang of the roof. The interior spaces project is a result of new functional distribution, new furnishings and graphics. The interiors is “homey” rather than "clinical", this is characterized by a color unified palette studied with neuro-psychiatrists. The color scheme of
the walls and the furnishings breaks the space dynamically, stimulating change of perception.
The improving energy performance of the buildings, is given by the optimization of the cogeneration plant and from the construction of a thermal coat in all the buildings. The redesign of the exterior of the buildings is based on the use of alternating gradation of two colors, red brick and sand, which articulates the regular military settlement, integrating it in the green and giving at the Center a contemporary character.
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