Contemplative Center for Disabled - Major Design Project 2020
Background
The Sri Lankan Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, No. 28 of 1996 defines a person with a disability as “any person who, as a result of any deficiency in his physical or mental capabilities, whether congenital or not, is unable by himself to ensure for himself, wholly or partly, the necessities of life.” This is considered the legal definition of disability in the Sri Lankan context, although the National Policy on Disability also notes the ICF classification model and the need to consider environment, cultural and social factors when understanding disability.
People with disability in Sri Lanka typically face significant stigma and discrimination. Cultural factors including superstitions mean that disability can be seen as a punishment for wrong-doing in a previous life, and people with disability are perceived as omens of bad luck. Living with a disability, physical or intellectual, affects so many parts of a person’s overall wellbeing. Mental health is no exception. A physical disability refers to a condition that limits bodily function in some way. It can be the result of a medical issue you were born with, or an accident/illness later in life.
So how can living with a disability contribute to anxiety or depression?
Need of the Project
Disability is defined as a health condition or physical impairment that prevents an individual from taking full advantage of life’s opportunities such as education, vocation, recreation, and activities of daily living.
Rehabilitation is a process that is targeted to achieve maximum possible independency in physical, mental and social functions in day to day life, following a disease or a trauma.
As there are much things for disabled to work with medical care, nursing and physiotherapy,
There is a need to bring focus to the life with practice,
• To contemplate what they are most committed to,
• What they want to be,
• What they want to offer the world,
• What single thing they can do today to align themselves with that commitment.
There is a need to bring focus to the life with practice,
• To contemplate what they are most committed to,
• What they want to be,
• What they want to offer the world,
• What single thing they can do today to align themselves with that commitment.
“Don’t let an injury leave you wallowing. Get through it and let it prove just how tough you are”
“There’s hope for people with newly-acquired disabilities.”
The adjustment period can be challenging on its own, as it involves adapting to accommodate the demands of your body in ways that might feel unfamiliar, or even scary. But it can be hard for another reason, too: The social attitudes surrounding disability. It’s not uncommon for non-disabled people to have minimal social contact with disabled people, while being surrounded by media that depicts disability as a tragedy, and a bad thing.
Feelings of isolation, extreme loneliness, despair, and/or hopelessness are a bad sign. People facing newly-acquired disabilities who feel themselves slipping away from the world might want to get proactive about seeking counseling and community.
If those points are getting high, the recovery may get slower and risky. And if it can be controlled, the recovery may speed up!
WHY?
To improve well-being and psychological flexibility with mindfulness practice.
To improve well-being and psychological flexibility with mindfulness practice.
Project Potentials
This project tries to contribute to the social development in a way through providing spaces for healthcare and for the well-being of society. Improving mindfulness practice is one of the main concerns that is provided in here as a betterment for the health improvement of disabled. Therefore, this project focuses on the disabled who currently undergoing treatments at Rheumatology and rehabilitation hospital at Ragama.
As a plug-in to the existing premises, this will come up as a solution for all that and it will help to improve the mindfulness practice.
As a plug-in to the existing premises, this will come up as a solution for all that and it will help to improve the mindfulness practice.
Design complexity
More Light and be Happier
‘’Light is essential for our health and wellbeing. Ensuring that we receive adequate levels at the appropriate times of day benefits our alertness, mood, productivity, sleep pattern and many aspects of our physiology.” – Dr. Victoria Revell
Light within the contemplative center can affect health and wellbeing. Natural light has so many benefits. Artificial light decreases levels of melatonin, a hormone that is created in the brain by the pineal gland. When interrupted it can impact our mental and psychological functioning, including our ability to sleep, think clearly, timing and release of hormones and also the regulation of blood pressure.
Continuous disruption and interruption of our circadian rhythms can increase our risk of developing illnesses and disorders such as depression and diabetes.
Natural ventilation for mindfulness
Natural ventilation is the process of changing or replacing stale or noxious air with fresh air in any space to provide high indoor air quality to control temperature, replenish oxygen, remove moisture,dust, airborne bacteria and carbon dioxide. In the absence of adequate ventilation, irritating or harmful contaminants can build up, causing occupant discomfort, health problems and reduced performance levels.
Psychology and Water
One of the reasons water features is being more accepted in health care is the well documented fact that interaction with nature helps individuals recover quicker and enable a psychological response from individuals and triggers senses such as sight, smell, and hearing.. If an individual feels they have a purpose, then they also feel they have a reason for living and fight harder to recover. Water, as an element of nature, stimulates individuals' emotions toward having a sense of place, and gives them a connection to the environment through relaxing the mind.
Water, an element of nature, promotes an overall feel of relaxation and calmness. The brain becomes conscious of the rhythmic sound of water splashing against itself and the soothing, swaying motion of the water.
“In conjunction with landscape, water is used throughout as an aid for meditation; fountains within the building and the adjacent courtyard provide ambient sound, while a still reflecting pool and garden to the south reflect the surrounding trees and Center only allows natural ventilation to be circulated through Openings which are located to better cross ventilation and More Natural Lighting to be let in from Skylights.”
SERENITY OF HEALING...
Disability is defined as a health condition or physical
impairment that prevents an individual from taking full
advantage of life’s opportunities such as education, vocation,
recreation, and activities of daily living.
impairment that prevents an individual from taking full
advantage of life’s opportunities such as education, vocation,
recreation, and activities of daily living.
“Mindfulness programs in the workplace may help employees
better deal with stress, and develop the ability to observe
negative emotions and automatic thought patterns and
behaviors, and remain calm, present, self-aware and alert,
rather than succumbing to the slippery slope of negative
emotions.” – Grace Bullock
