© Ramsha Nazir
THESIS DETAILS:
Paiwand is an Urdu language term meaning grafting. When a plant cannot grow true to its potential, it is grafted (paiwand) with a portion of another healthy plant. Later, both continue to grow as a one healthy plant, producing fruit. In this project, “a rehabilitation center for drug addicts”, grafting techniques are applied on existing concepts of therapy, of a government facility, that is not able to deliver outcomes best to its potential.
Architecture is being used to graft the relationship between user and spaces. It is used to graft the concept of therapeutic programs with therapeutic spaces and architecture.
In Pakistan, rehabilitation centers present a very melancholic state. Dark, gloomy and prison-like spaces of these centers contribute adversely to the purpose they are used for. When interviewed, the patients in these centers described their living conditions as miserable and felt no warmth from their surroundings. These patients, and even the doctors treating them, believed that nature and spaces in which they are treated could play a vital role in their mental and spiritual uplift. Unfortunately, the condition of rehab centers in Pakistan is extremely disheartening. Also, according to the research, instances like morning walk, views, green free spaces, fresh air, refreshing chirping of birds, watering plants and feeding animals build a connection between user and nature which in turn contributes effectively in the overall process of therapy. Regrettably, rehab centers in Pakistan lack any
of these facilities making it difficult for drug addicts to find the light in times of darkness.
Keeping in view the aforementioned situation, and researching on international standards and space’s quality for such programs, Paiwand offers a re-visualized concept of rehab centers by fully studying, finding missing links and re-inventing an existing government rehabilitation center. This center is in melody with existing therapeutic programs for its users.
