The Ataraxis Complex

University of Science, Malaysia (USM), School Of Housing, Building And Planning (HBP), Architecture Department. Minden, Penang

Project idea

The Ataraxis Complex is a mental healthcare and awareness center. The word 'ataraxis' means the absence of stress or anxiety; serenity. The idea of this project is triggered by the issue of current situation of urban living that is accompanied with high level of urban mental stress. Architecture is one of the factors that causes urban mental stress. This aim of the project is to explore the possibility of architecture as a medium to reduce mental stress.

Concept:
People always find serenity in the nature. How can nature provide the sense of calmness and tranquility to our minds? According to the research, fractal is one of the main reason that nature poses the stress reducing effect. The design of this project is inspired by fractal and the characteristics of fractal, which originated from nature's roughness. Fractal is a curve or geometrical figure, each part of which has the same statistical character as the whole. It is used to describe a family of shapes that shares the identical fragmented and irregular shapes. Fractal characteristics include self-similar/self affine, hierarchical, scale and proportion, rhythmic, and repetitive.

Project description

Objectives:
1.To design an one stop center for mental healthcare and awareness
2. To design an architecture that helps to reduce mental stress of urban users or dwellers.
3. To design a mentally healing space for urban users for relaxation.

The project includes a few components that are related to mental healthcare and awareness, which are:
Therapy
Alternative therapy
Research
Retreat
Awareness
Medical withdrawal
Community

The central plaza is a main gathering space for the visitors to mingle with each other. A theater is provided for alternative therapy. There are pockets of spaces in the retreat block to encourage interactions among the users. The building is equipped with cantilevered green pockets to increase the chance for the users to look at the natural fractals which comes from the plants.

Technical information

Sustainable elements are used in the design, which include kinetic facade and green facade for sun shading, solar panels, skylights and rainwater harvesting system. The building is supported by reinforced concrete structures and steel roof trusses and structures.