Catherine Elzinga

reunion A center for reuniting people of all abilities with themselves and with each other, finding strength in holistic wellness practice.

Interior Design Capstone Project by Catherine Elzinga

introduction Since a young age, I have volunteered with Special Olympics and in high school I was a founding member of the Champions Together movement at my high school. This was partnership between Special Olympics and the Indiana High School Athletic Association, bringing inclusive sports teams into high school, where students of all abilities compete on a team together.

I have seen first hand how much of an impact inclusion in wellness can have on every single person involved. It creates a greater connection between people who may have never had chances to interact before. I made many friends, of all abilities, and experienced the joy of seeing people labeled as ‘others’ because of their abilities find their place and their people. Thus began my interest in spaces that provide and equal access for people of all abilities. My capstone research centers around inclusion and wellness, leading me to the design of a center to incorporate these notions.

Photo from a Champions Together fundraising event.

What is Inclusion?

Strategies for Inclusive Wellness

Inclusion can be defined as creating an accessible and

As defined by Special Olympics Center for Inclusive

equal space where people of all abilities may feel em-

Health, there are four main strategies for inclusive

powered to learn and grow together (Special Olympics

wellness. Implementing these in built environments

4

and organizations to create sustained inclusive places

whether it be athletics, academics, or attitudes.

and practices.

). Inclusion can be applied in every aspect of life,

Why Inclusive Wellness?

Often times, people with intellectual disabilities (ID) are disregarded from health programs. This decreased access can lead to increased health issues in comparison to the general population, making people with disabilities more likely to encounter health issues. According to Special Olympics Center for Inclusive health, the two principles of inclusive health are equitable access and full participation (Special Olympics 5). By actively providing inclusive wellness, the population with disabilities

Welcoming Spaces Ensuring that environments and services are not only accessible, but also welcoming to people of all abilities.

Communication Written and spoken materials, language, and interactions is understood and accessed by people of all abilities.

has full access to health services and programs, just as people without disabilities do. By including people of all abilities in health programs, it may improve health outcomes while reducing health care costs for society.

Awareness & Training Invest in training staff on the challenges faced by those of all abilities, and educate them on how to break down those barriers.

Sustainable & Intentional Inclusion Work to change organizational culture to value and understand inclusion so that it is a sustained movement.

trend identification In order to develop the direction of the project, relevant trend research was conducted. Identifying the three following trends allowed insights into the context of which the project exists.

Inclusive Representation There has been a growing shift towards making inclusion in popular culture more mainstream.

This has been manifested through inclusive branding, architecture, and product design. insight: increased inclusion efforts

Holistic Wellness Consumers have been more interested in the total wellness picture, including focus on fitness, spiritual wellness, and healthy body systems from the inside out. insight: curiosity about a holistic lifestyle

Distanced Togetherness Communities are seeing the effects of the pandemic, and in response are adjusting social settings in order to accommodate social distancing while maintaining relationships. insight: enriched social connections Upon completing my background and trends research, I began to form a question to propel the project forward. This question guided my thinking process throughout the works.

questioning, how might we design a space where people of all abilities may learn and practice holistic wellness?

design guidelines First it is important to define holistic wellness. In the context of this project, holistic wellness means health of the body, mind, and spirit; using a variety of approaches to achieve balance in life.

Principles of creating the foundation for Reunion I.

include all abilities

II.

strengthen physical body

With universal design, sensory conscious architecture, and well educated staff, the project is a place where people with or without disabilities feel comfortable and welcomed by a space that is designed with them in mind.

Creating spaces where people may reunite with their physical body, in the way of fitness, nutrition, physical healing, and comfort in the physical space.

III.

celebrate emotional well-being materiality that encourages a healthy mental state, spaces providing access to medical professional for counseling, or therapeutic treatments.

IV.

deepen spiritual connection providing meditation spaces, and flexible areas that may be able to accommodate different groups meeting there.

V.

foster social bonds

Public spaces that make a platform for social connection, and group-minded services, such as workshops, fitness and yoga classes, that will foster connection of users

To answer the question of how might we design a space where people of all abilities may learn and practice holistic wellness, the idea of a reunion speaks to the solution.

answering Reunion means the unification of something that was previously divided. This concept speaks to the idea of a union, where people in the community may come together to reunite not only with others, but with their inner-self, both of which whom they may have lost connection with.

project site The site is located at 3209 Madison Road, Cincinnati Ohio, situated in the Oakley Neighborhood. It stands three stories tall in the front, and extends to five floors in the back and currently exists as a furniture store.

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Oakley Neighborhood

Existing images

Median Income: $53,021 Population Density: 4,426 (per sq. mile) Median Age: 33 years old - ESRI Tapestry Total Population: 10,429

81 100

60 100

38 100 - Walkscore.com

Population Segmentation 38.5% young metro renters Educated, invest in education, creativity, & social bonds

27% emerald city Young, mobile, value learning new things to keep life fresh

23.4% young & restless Young, educated, on the forefront of trying new products 11.1% other - ESRI Tapestry

Mapping shows ad jacency to key zones of retail, commercial, and housing; all critical factors for the site to have ad jacency to.

Highlighted here is the materiality of existing buildings in the surrounding area, grouped into zones as defined by the city of Cincinnati zoning.

concept development In order to push conceptual thinking, a series of diagrams was created, using principles and verbs to illustrate. This process includes the matrix and hybridized composite.

Hybridized Composite of selected diagrams shown to the right.

Matrix of diagramming exercises completed in the concept development stage, both singular and layered diagramming of words

Diagrammatic program layouts, showing areas grouped based on activity type.

Three-dimensional axon of preliminary program development.

project development The plans were developed to incorporate programmatic aspects that support varying approaches to wellness, allowing people of all abilities to have access to these services.

First Floor creates a place for connection, allowing people to gather together in the cafe, or to easily access check in for classed & treatments.

The second floor offers active services, with areas designated for rotating workout classes, as well as locker areas.

The third floor offers space for various spa-treatments, either in the treatment rooms or in the sauna/infrared saunas.

The fourth floor is a place to relax either in the open mediation space, or on the rooftop courtyard.

The fifth floor is the most private, with therapy & nutrition consultation rooms, allowing users to discover more of themselves and healthy habits

Transverse section showing all five floors of the building.

Transverse section showing the first three floors, and the rooftop courtyard.

A zoomed perspective of the grand stair, which creates a journey for the user to travel from the first floor to the rooftop courtyard.

Front Entrance Perspective Showing the entrance, with a look at the retail area, reception desk, self check-in, and a peek of the grand stair.

Fitness Floor Perspective Showing the landing coming up the stairs to the activated fitness area, with quick stash lockers adjacent to the workout rooms.

Remediation Floor Perspective Shiwng the landing coming up to the third floor, with check-in and waiting area for remedial treatments.

Rooftop Courtyard Perspective Showing the rooftop courtyard staged as a connection spot, this area could also accommodate outdoor classes.

conclusion Overall, Reunion is exploration into an inclusive holistic wellness center incorporates many approaches to health that cater to people of any ability. The holistic approach allows users a complex experience that can be different on each visit to the space. Whether the users come to connect, activate, remediate, or discover, there is something to be found for each diverse user to experience. Reunion means the unification of something that was previously divided. This concept speaks to the idea of a union, where people in the community may come together to reunite not only with others, but with their inner-self, both of which whom they may have lost connection with.

SENIOR CAPSTONE PROJECT

BY CAT H E R I N E E L Z I N GA UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI