Erenkoy Mental Health Campus

1/30

Client Health Sciences University Erenkoy Mental Health Research and Training Hospital & Republic of Turkey Ministry of Health

Location Istanbul, Turkey

Program Mental Health Campus

Area 60.000 m2

Scope Concept Design

Status Competition - Purchasing Award

The notion of sustainability requires an awareness of identity at its core. Identity of a place is fed by the collective memory generated by the holistic and perpetual interaction of its natural, built and social environments. The proposal sets out with this mindfulness and aims for a sense of belonging. Erenkoy’s identity is shaped by its dense vegetation and history. A detailed and multi-layered analysis of the natural and built elements that make up the existing site reveal physical and social boundaries that inform the formula for a unique and integrated solution. A bird’s eye view of the site shows a unified green layer composed of over 3.000 trees with an increasing density from East to West, infiltrated solely by the red shingled roofs of the historic pavilions. Only the Eastern border and the Southwestern corner of the site allow for generic block typology with relatively generous open areas. An evaluation of the ground plane reveals a grid following the orderly tree trunks at the western half of the site, triggering a new potential for building within the trees. By placing the inpatient clinics within the pine forest, the proposal aims to provide the long-term users of the campus with the maximum healing benefits of shinrin yoku - “forest bathing”.The historical pavilions rejuvenated with social and communal functions and connected via pathways and outdoor programs make up a life center for the campus. Adjacent to the main circulation axis connecting the main public transportation hubs around the site, the Eastern border is loaded with the outpatient clinics and emergency service units that serve a higher frequency of daily patients.