I - Intersections between architecture and mental healthDefining the foundation of an interdisciplinary debate
The discussion begins with the idea that space and the mind are deeply connected. To explore this relationship, the analysis focuses on principles of spatial design that promote mental health. During research on how these concepts might aid in treating psychological disorders, it became clear that this topic intersects with various disciplines, including social sciences, medicine, neuroscience, and philosophy. Because of this interdisciplinary nature, the study will use terminology from these fields, with necessary explanations provided for readers who may be unfamiliar with them.
Psychology is one such field, dealing with the behaviors and emotions of the conscious and subconscious mind. Combining natural and social sciences, psychology helps in understanding mental functioning and is used to treat and prevent mental disorders. Psychologists work on both individual and collective levels and can specialize in areas such as cognitive, evolutionary, and environmental psychology.
Psychiatry, on the other hand, focuses on the medical aspects of mental health, including the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental disorders. It aims to provide personalized care, which sometimes involves hospitalization, where the design of psychiatric spaces plays a significant role in the recovery process by supporting both health professionals and patients.
While psychotherapy is less central to this study, it remains relevant. It encompasses various approaches, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and psychoanalysis, some of which are linked to architectural design. Some theorists argue for a basic spatial sense within the human mind, suggesting that architecture is an expression of this instinct. Richard Neutra, influenced by psychoanalysis, developed a therapeutic doctrine centered on the relationship between humans and space. He believed that architecture could influence the mind and contribute to therapy.
Terms like "Psychoarchitecture" have emerged from this idea, but they lack sufficient support to be included in this discussion. Instead, the focus shifts to Environmental Psychology, a branch of psychology that examines how both built and natural spaces affect people and how people, in turn, affect those spaces. This field, being more established, provides a solid foundation for exploring the concept of Psychiatric Architecture.
Defining the foundation of an interdisciplinary debate
The discussion begins with the idea that space and the mind are deeply connected. To explore this relationship, the analysis focuses on principles of spatial design that promote mental health. During research on how these concepts might aid in treating psychological disorders, it became clear that this topic intersects with various disciplines, including social sciences, medicine, neuroscience, and philosophy. Because of this interdisciplinary nature, the study will use terminology from these fields, with necessary explanations provided for readers who may be unfamiliar with them.
Psychology is one such field, dealing with the behaviors and emotions of the conscious and subconscious mind. Combining natural and social sciences, psychology helps in understanding mental functioning and is used to treat and prevent mental disorders. Psychologists work on both individual and collective levels and can specialize in areas such as cognitive, evolutionary, and environmental psychology.
Psychiatry, on the other hand, focuses on the medical aspects of mental health, including the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental disorders. It aims to provide personalized care, which sometimes involves hospitalization, where the design of psychiatric spaces plays a significant role in the recovery process by supporting both health professionals and patients.
While psychotherapy is less central to this study, it remains relevant. It encompasses various approaches, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and psychoanalysis, some of which are linked to architectural design. Some theorists argue for a basic spatial sense within the human mind, suggesting that architecture is an expression of this instinct. Richard Neutra, influenced by psychoanalysis, developed a therapeutic doctrine centered on the relationship between humans and space. He believed that architecture could influence the mind and contribute to therapy.
Terms like "Psychoarchitecture" have emerged from this idea, but they lack sufficient support to be included in this discussion. Instead, the focus shifts to Environmental Psychology, a branch of psychology that examines how both built and natural spaces affect people and how people, in turn, affect those spaces. This field, being more established, provides a solid foundation for exploring the concept of Psychiatric Architecture.
Environmental Psychology & Psychiatric Architecture
The World Health Organization defines a mental disorder as a condition that significantly impacts an individual’s cognition, emotional regulation, or behavior, leading to challenges in maintaining stable mental functioning. Mental, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental disorders cover a broad spectrum of conditions that affect thoughts, emotions, cognitive functions, and overall well-being. These disorders can vary widely in severity and symptoms, creating unique challenges for each individual. People with these disorders often exhibit high sensitivity to external factors, making everyday tasks, which most people perform with ease, difficult and sometimes insurmountable.
In this context, Environmental Psychology plays a vital role in understanding how physical space influences mental health, particularly in the design of psychiatric hospitals to better support specialized care. EP provides practical insights into how architectural spaces can be designed and configured to meet the specific needs of patients. By understanding the characteristics that define different diagnoses, environmental psychologists can propose strategies to create therapeutic environments that promote faster recovery and enhance well-being.
It’s important to note that the principles of Environmental Psychology provide guidelines for good practices in designing spaces tailored to mental health treatment. However, since there is no absolute correlation between the human mind and architectural structures, the literature review will focus on the main guidelines that govern these studies.
Environmental Psychology seeks to define the concept of ‘space’ through various scales of contact with individuals, emphasizing the different impacts that natural and built environments have on psychological states. This field takes an interdisciplinary approach, combining psychology, architecture, urbanism, biology, and ecology. Through this intersection, diverse methodological approaches are developed to explore the complex nature of human behavior. By validating the complementarity of different theories and methods, a holistic and adaptable vision of human-environment interaction is gradually achieved. Officially recognized as a sub-discipline in the late 1960s, Environmental Psychology emerged as the scientific community began acknowledging its relevance. The field adopts heuristic practices, guided by ethical and moral principles, to resolve practical problems. In essence, Environmental Psychology aims to explore solutions to spatial-mental frictions, with a particular focus on individuals with mental health challenges.
To address the interactions between humans and their environments, Environmental Psychology has developed a model that identifies spatial conditions promoting positive reactions. This model assists in designing, maintaining, or restoring environments that foster well-being, reduce negative reactions, and encourage positive behavior. The model’s broad scope includes themes like navigating complex spaces, the impact of environmental friction, and fostering humor as a way to prevent violence and promote environmental sustainability. This interdisciplinary model has not only provided valuable insights into human-environment interactions but also attracted interest from other research areas. The versatility of this approach is evident in the wide range of concepts explored in Environmental Psychology. However, in this preliminary approach, the focus was set on two key questions:
How can bridges be built between the mind and the environment?
What role does the natural environment play in stress levels and serenity?
What role does the natural environment play in stress levels and serenity?
The origins of Environmental Psychology can be traced back to the Victorian era, with Darwin’s work on the impact of the environment on species evolution. However, it wasn’t until 1911 that Willy Hellpach coined the term "Environmental Psychology" in his book Geopsyche. Since then, the field has evolved significantly, consolidating concepts such as ecological theory of perception, cognitive mapping, and behavioral environments. The dissertation will further explore issues raised by five key concepts:
i. Perception and cognition
ii. Stimuli for spatial friction
iii. Cultural notions of aesthetics
iv. Sense of belonging
v. Eco-psychological awareness
