Alison DIMAIO

Alison DeMaio

RECONNECT

Kelly Vresilovic

Community Health and Wellness Center FAIRBANKS, ALASKA

THE BUILDING BLOCKS

Deep within the Arctic Circle sits a sparse town known as Fairbanks, Alaska. The geographical location of Fairbanks renders itself to a severe and distinct climate. With extreme conditions which can drop to below -40° F during the months of complete darkness to 80° F with weeks of sunlight, the weather can have a drastic effect to one’s psyche. A cultural phenomenon that is rather common to this area is known as seasonal affected disorder (SAD). Those that reside within the severe conditions of the arctic circle’s frigid winters often experience extreme bouts of depression throughout the long cold months. Reconnect is a health and wellness community center introduced to this area to assist those suffering from this climate induced depression.

Anchoring itself to the location and the context, Reconnect utilizes the other phenomenon that occurs throughout the arctic climates, the Aurora Borealis.

Designed to have a sense of fluidity, continuity, and dynamic movement, the building emerges from the earth and slowly rises and curves as programmatic spaces transition from one to the next. Physical activity and holistic therapy approaches are the primary focus of the program established within the health center.

A relationship and connection with nature is a fundamental theme of the wellness center that manifests itself through physical interaction with nature, organic design, and visual cues. Nature is experienced through the senses; by designing environments that mimic sensations we associate with nature, architecture can then create an experience that would similarly be found in the unbuilt environment.

Reconnect’s purpose is to become the beacon of Fairbanks, Alaska by brightening and enlivening the community as a whole and lifting spirits of the individual.

WE CONNECT THROUGH...

A: WATER B: EARTH C: FIRE D: AIR E: AURORA

OBJECTIVES community

growth

awareness

holistic

integrative

D

B A

E

C ... THE ELEMENTS PLAN PARTI

SECTION PARTI

“It is in dialogue with pain that many beautiful things acquire their value. Acquaintance with grief turns out to be one of the more unusual prerequisites of architectural appreciation. We might, quite aside from all other requirements, need to be a little sad before buildings can properly touch us.”

- Alain de Botton, The Architecture of Happiness

Vernacular Architecture

2 MILE RADIUS 1 MILE RADIUS 1/2 MILE RADIUS 1/4 MILE RADIUS

N 1000’

Geographical Site Analysis SCANDANVIAN ISLANDS - 60 N 20 E ALASKA - 64 N 150 W

RUSSIA - 60 N 90 E ARCTIC CIRCLE

TROPIC OF CANCER

EQUATOR

TROPIC OF CAPRICORN

north depression

ANTARCTIC CIRCLE

o Seasonal Affected Disorder (SAD) STEESE HIGHWAY

o roughly the size of NJ (comparatively houses roughly 9 million) o home to just under 100,000 people o Aurora Borealis

BEAUFORT SEA CHUKCHI SEA RUSSIAN

PROPOSED SITE UNIVERSITY OF FAIRBANKS

YUKON FLATS

CREAMERS MIGRATORY REFUGE JOHANSEN EXPRESSWAY GARDEN ISLAND

CHENA RIVER

LADD ARMY AIRFIELD (PAFB) FAIRBANKS

CANADA

FAIRBANKS CITY DISTRICT FAIRBANKS AIRPORT

BERING SEA

ANCHORAGE

JUNEAU GEORGE PARKS HIGHWAY

FAIRBANK NORTH STAR BOROUGH

GULF OF ALASKA

o Northern Interior Alaska o relatively flat terrain w/ valleys and hills surrounding o third most populated city in Alaska

YUKONKOYUKUK ALASAKA GATEWAY

DELTA/GREELY DENALI BOROUGH

o North Star Borough o Tenana Valley o Chena River, Tenana River o 32.7 square miles o 32,000 population

TENANA RIVER

o UFA o Army Airfield o International Airport o Migratory Refuge

Environmental Data

AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 80

DEGREES FARENHEIT

60

40

N 1/80” = 1’-0”

20

0

-20 JAN.

FEB.

MAR.

APR.

MAY

JUNE

HIGH FEB.

FEB. 7:46 7:46 4:05 4:05 7:50 7:50 6:55 6:55 8:15 7:23 8:15 7:00 7:23 7:50 7:00 4:46 7:50 7:58 4:46 8:27 7:58 7:36 8:27 8:04 7:36 8:04

MARCH

MARCH 10:24 10:24 9:20 9:20 10:26 10:26 10:07 10:07 10:34 10:15 10:34 10:08 10:15 10:25 10:08 9:29 10:25 10:28 9:29 10:39 10:28 10:20 10:39 10:30 10:20 10:30

AVERAGE SUNLIGHT HOURS AVERAGE SUNLIGHT HOURS

APRIL APRIL 13:22 13:22 14:13 14:13 13:20 13:20 13:35 13:35 13:13 13:28 13:13 13:35 13:28 13:20 13:35 14:05 13:20 13:19 14:05 13:10 13:19 13:24 13:10 13:17

13:24 13:17

MAY MAY 16:52 16:52 19:44 19:44 16:08 16:08 17:01 17:01 15:43 16:35 15:43 16:57 16:35 16:08 16:57 19:04 16:08 16:01 19:04 15:32 16:01 16:22 15:32 15:55

16:22 15:55

JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. JUNE JULY AUG. 18:43 19:11 17:07 14:16 18:43 24:00'19:1124:00'-17:0714:45 24:00'24:00'- 19:01 24:00'-17:0124:00'18:34 14:13 18:34 21:2519:0118:1117:0114:39 20:33 20:33 18:1021:2516:3018:1114:01 17:48 19:29 17:48 20:0418:1017:3516:3014:27 21:21 19:29 22:0920:0418:0517:3514:36 18:34 21:21 19:0122:0917:0118:0514:13 24:00'18:34 24:00'19:0121:3117:0115:31 18:20 24:00'- 18:45 24:00'-16:5221:3114:10 17:27 17:48 16:16 13:55 18:20 18:45 16:52 19:02 19:32 17:19 14:20 17:27 18:3217:4816:4416:1614:07 18:08

19:02 18:08

19:32 18:32

17:19 16:44

OCT.

SEPT. 11:26 14:16 11:03 14:45 11:26 14:13 11:19 14:39 11:30 11:23 14:01 11:20 14:27 11:27 14:36 11:06 14:13 11:28 15:31 11:31 14:10 11:25 13:55 11:28 14:20 14:07

NOV.

OCT. 8:32 11:26 5:52 11:03 8:35 11:26 7:51 11:19 8:55 8:13 11:30 7:56 11:23 8:35 11:20 6:20 11:27 8:42 11:06 9:05 11:28 8:24 11:31 8:46 11:25 11:28

DEC.

NOV. 6:08 8:32 0:00 5:52 6:14 8:35 4:43 7:51 6:53 5:31 8:55 4:51 8:13 6:14 7:56 0:00 8:35 6:26 6:20 7:11 8:42 5:52 9:05 6:35 8:24 8:46

DEC. 6:08 0:00 6:14 4:43 6:53 5:31 4:51 6:14 0:00 6:26 7:11 5:52 6:35

2.5

60

2.0

40

1.5

20

JAN.

FEB.

MAR.

APR.

MAY HIGH

SITE SPECIFIC SOLAR ORIENTATION

JUNE

JULY MEAN

AVERAGE PRECIPITATION OPTIMAL SOLAR ORIENTATION

MINIMAL SOLAR ORIENTATION

SITE SPECIFIC SOLAR ORIENTATION

2.5

2.0

OCT.

NOV.

DEC.

SEP.

OCT.

NOV.

DEC.

1.0

0.0

-20

MINIMAL SOLAR ORIENTATION

SEP.

LOW

0.5

0

OPTIMAL SOLAR ORIENTATION

AUG.

AVERAGE PRECIPITATION

AVERAGE TEMPERATURE 80

INCHES

JAN.

JAN. 5:39 5:39 0:00 0:00 4:48 4:48 4:00 4:00 6:30 4:57 6:30 4:11 4:57 5:48 4:11 0:00 5:48 6:00 0:00 6:50 6:00 5:22 6:50 6:11 5:22 6:11

DEGREES FARENHEIT

CITY

CITY ANCHORAGE ANCHORAGE BARROW BARROW BETHEL BETHEL FAIRBANKS FAIRBANKS JUNEAU MCGRATH JUNEAU NOME MCGRATH PORTAGE NOME PRUD. BAY PORTAGE SEARD PRUD. BAY SITKA SEARD WASILLA SITKA YAKUTAT WASILLA YAKUTAT

JULY MEAN

AUG. LOW

SEP.

OCT.

NOV.

DEC.

JAN.

FEB.

MAR.

APR.

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUG.

Youth Wellness Center

LOCATION: Bremerton, WA, USA ARCHITECT: Steven Holl TYPOLOGY AND SIZE: Youth Center PRIMARY DESIGN GOAL: Health, Nutrition, Music & Art

West Kowloon Cultural District Park LOCATION: Hong Kong, China ARCHITECT: West & Dennis Lau & NG Chung Man Architects & Engineers YEAR BUILT: In Construction TYPOLOGY AND SIZE: Infrastructure - Park, 23 Hectares (1 hectar = 100 M2) PRIMARY DESIGN GOAL: Bringing the community together with cultural MUSIC DANCE events • SHADED AREAS • TOPOGRAPHIC VARIATION • ACCOMMODATE 10,000 + PEOPLE

ART EXHIBITS

THEATRE

CULTURAL PARK THE LAWN

ARTS PAVILION FREE SPACE (W BLACK BOX THEATRE)

New Ward Block - Bristol Royal Infirmary LOCATION: Bristol, United Kingdom ARCHITECT: CODA Architects YEAR BUILT: 2014 TYPOLOGY AND SIZE: Clinical Hospital, 1 Block @ 9 stories PRIMARY DESIGN GOAL: Represent cutting edge sustainable construction & specialty patient care • RATIONALIZE INTERNAL CIRCULATION • CENTRAL REFERENCE POINT • ASSIST IN ORIENTATION • DESIGNED FOR LIGHT AND AIRY FEELING • STIMULATE ENVIRONMENT TO AID PATIENT RECOVERY • CENTRAL ATRIUM FOR DAYLIGHT • ACOUSTIC BAFFLE

Potter Street Redevelopment

LOCATION: Dandenong, Australia ARCHITECT: Allen Kong Architect PTY LTD YEAR BUILT: 2012 TYPOLOGY AND SIZE: Co-development between disability support and aged care PRIMARY DESIGN GOAL: Creating livable and healthy environments ACCESS TO NATURAL LIGHT & GARDENS PROVIDES: • INCREASED SOCIABILITY • REDUCED CROWDING • UTILIZING THE HOME AS FIRST LINE OF HEALTH CARE • INCREASED MUSCLE STRENGTH • LIVEABLE ENVIRONMENT • REDUCED DEPRESSION • NO INTERNAL CIRCULATION • MOOD LIFTING • INTERCONNECTION W/ GARDEN • READINESS TO GET OUT OF BED • CONTROL OF SOCIAL SPACES • IMPROVED CIRCADIAN RHYTHM • RAINWATER

The River

LOCATION: New Canaan, CT, USA ARCHITECT: Sanaa YEAR BUILT: 2015 TYPOLOGY AND SIZE: Community and horticultural center, 83,000 SF PRIMARY DESIGN GOAL: “Bringing people together to experience nature, encounter the arts, pursue justice, foster community, and explore faith.”

• SEAMLESSNESS BETWEEN BUILDING AND NATURE • MAXIMIZE TRANSPARENCY • BECOME A PART OF NATURE • NO FRONT DOOR • “NECESSARY TO GO OUTSIDE FROM PLACE TO PLACE” • DIVERSE EXPERIENCES BETWEEN PEOPLE AND NATURE

Danish National Meriteime Museum LOCATION: ARCHITECT: BIG YEAR BUILT: 2013 Competition OBSERVATIONS: concrete, glass, sunk into earth WATER: SUBMERGED

Broad Museum

LOCATION: LA, USA ARCHITECT: Diller Scofidio & Renfro OBSERVATIONS: concrete, glass, carved EARTH: CAVERNOUS

Art Installation LOCATION: NYC ARCHITECT: THEVERYMANY Studio OBSERVATIONS: metal, plastic/resin FIRE: AMORPHOUS

Galaxy Soho Complex

LOCATION: Beijing, China ARCHITECT: Zaha Hadid YEAR BUILT: 2012 OBSERVATIONS: aluminum, stone, stainless, glass, platforms AIR: CONTINUOUS

Swallows Nest Cultural Center LOCATION: Taiwan ARCHITECT: Vincent Callebaut Architects YEAR BUILT: Under construction TYPOLOGY AND SIZE: OBSERVATIONS: steel, glass, vaults, voids AURORA: ETHEREAL

Zoning & Construction

A-5

/MHS

GC RA-5

PROPOSED SITE

MF

TF

OR OR

OR TF

MFO

TF TF

100 MILES

N N

MFO

MF/MHS

MFO

100 MILES

N

Program S.F. FAIRBANKS WELLNESS CENTER PROGRAM/ROOM TYPE

SIZE

UNIT S.F.

QUANTITY

TOTAL S.F.

S.F./OCC.

NET OR GROSS

# OCC.

17,000 5,000 6,400 180 240 5,180

30 50 50 20 20

(net) (gross) (gross) (gross) (gross)

166 3 12 259

20' X 40' 15' X 20'

800 300

1 1

800 300

200 20

(gross) (net)

4 15

12'x125' 30'x50' 25'x20'

1,500 1,500 500

1 1 2

1,500 1,500 1,000

100 100 15

(gross) (gross) (net)

15 15 66

25'x40'

1,000

1

1,000

35

(net)

28

40' x 75' 20' X 20' 1/12 Mile 10' X 20' 20' X 25' 20' X 25' 20' X 20'

3,000 400 4,840 200 500 500 400

1 1 1 4 3 1 1

3,000 400 4,840 800 1,500 500 400

50 50 50 50 50 50

(gross) (gross) (gross) (gross) (gross) (gross)

60 8 16 30 10 8

18' X 25' 10' X 10' 15' X 15'

450 100 225

2 1 2

900 100 450

100 100 50

(gross) (gross) (gross)

9 1 9

MENTAL HEALTH Dance Music Art Auditorium

20' X 30' 15' X 20' 15' X 20' 25' X 100'

600 300 300 2,500

1 2 1 1

600 600 300 2,500

100 100 100 1 occ./18"

(gross) (gross) (gross) with fixed seating

6 6 3 -

STRESS MANAGEMENT Meditation Room Yoga Area Light Artificial Sun Aromatherapy Suite

20' X 25' 20' X 25' 10' X 15' 10' X 15' 12.5' X 20'

500 500 150 150 250

1 1 3 3 1

500 500 450 450 250

100 100 100 100 100

(gross) (gross) (gross) (gross) (gross)

5 5 4 4 2

BUILDING USE Mechanical Storage Janitor Disposal Laundry Offices Wheelchair Alcove Restroom Exit Corridors Exit Stairs & Elevator

25' X 40' 8' X 15'' 10' X 10' 15' X 20' 15' X 20' 10' X 12' 6' X 20' 10' X 15' -

1,000 120 100 300 300 120 120 150 -

6 6 6 1 1 10 Throughout 8 -

6,000 720 600 300 300 1,200 120 1,200 -

300 150 60 60 60 50 50 -

(gross) (gross) (gross) (gross) (gross) (gross) (gross) -

24 24 -

FITNESS CENTER Open Floor/Free Weights Free Weights Running Track Lockers & Showers Exercise Room Aerobics Cardio Machines PHYSICAL THERAPY Occupational Treatment Rooms Exercise Area

6,100

11,440

STRESS MANAGEMENT (1,250 S.F.)

STRESS MANAGEMENT (1,250 S.F.) AQUATICS (19,580 S.F.)

1,450

4,000

2,150

PHYSICAL THERAPY (1,750 S.F.)

AURORA

1 1 1 2 1

AIR

13,000 6,400 180 120 740

FIRE

65' x 200' 40' x 160' 12' X 15' 8'x15' 7' around pools

NUTRITION CENTER Cooking Theatre Classrooms LOBBY Vestibule Rock Wall (to lower level) Café LOWER LEVEL Kids Space

PROGRAM S.F.

EARTH

AQUATICS Aquarium Lap Pool Spa/Hot Tub Lockers Deck

~ 32,000 ~ 100,000

WATER

Fairbanks City Proper Region Fairbanks North Star Borough

MENTAL HEALTH/THERAPY (2,400 S.F.) (kids) AQUATICS (19,580 S.F.) (rock wall) PHYSICAL THERAPY (1,750 S.F.)

NUTRITION CENTER (1,100 S.F.) MENTAL HEALTH/THERAPY (2,400 S.F.)

10,440

STRESS MANAGEMENT (1,250 S.F.) (kids) (rock wall)

NUTRITION CENTER (1,100 S.F.)

X 40% =

52,580 21,032 73,612

PHYSICAL THERAPY (1,750 S.F.) FITNESS CENTER (11,440 S.F.)

MENTAL HEALTH/THERAPY (2,400 S.F.)

AQUATICS (1

FITNESS CENTER (11,440 S.F.)

1

4

3

2

6

aurora wall sweep water floor slab earth floor slab(s) fire floor slab(s) air floor slab(s) aurora slab geothermal heating 1 acre farm retention pond 3,775 solar panels

PETALS

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

20

PLACE

WATER

ENERGY

9 7

19

11

MATERIALS

18

8 16 15 14

12

17

LIVING

10

BUILDING

HEALTH

EQUIT Y

13

THE

5

1. green roof 2. sky lights 3. translucent concrete 4. solid reflective roof 5. glulam beams 6. concrete columns 7. water wall sweep 8. earth wall sweep 9. fire wall sweep 10. air wall sweep

CHALLENGE

Structure and Sustainability

BEAUT Y

Floor Plan(s)

11

26 4

-9’

9 9 10

26

5

16 7

7

26

26

-9’ 3

8

19

+3’

3

20

26

20

3

26

20

3

B

2

19

20 18

1 17

15

C

UP

13

A

UP

16

+24’

6

6

12 7

7

16 7 14

0’

27

7 11 7 11 11 11

1 1

& Wall Sections

N

+9’

+6’

31 28 30 28 29 21

6 6 7 7

D

28 28 28

1/16” = 1’-0”

E

11 28 7 11 6 6 11 6 6 11 25 23 24 22

D C A

B

WALL SECTIONS @ 1/4” = 1’-0”

E

1. lap pool 2. aquarium 3. mechanical/water filtration 4. disposal 5. laundry 6. restroom 7. administration 8. hot tub 9. rentals 10. kids space 11. storage/janitorial 12. classroom 13. cooking theatre/ nutrition 14. vestibule 15. hearth 16. rock wall 17. running track 18. open weights 19. physical therapy 20. exercise room 21. auditorium 22. dance therapy 23. art therapy 24. music therapy 25. holistic medicine 26. lockers 27. observation deck 28. artificial sun/light therapy 29. lounge 30. yoga 31. meditation 73,000 GSF

Longitudinal Section

1: LAP POOL/AQUARIUM

2: ROCK WALL/LOBBY

1 A

3

2 B

& Interior Views

3: FITNESS CENTER

4: HOLISTIC THERAPY HALL

5

4 C

5: MEDITATION ROOM

D

E 1/12” = 1’-0”

Cross Sections

C: FIRE

A: WATER

1/8” = 1’-0”

1/8” = 1’-0”

Cross Sections

D: AIR

B: EARTH

1/8” = 1’-0”

E: AURORA

1/8” = 1’-0”

1/8” = 1’-0”

Exterior Views

Models