Vanessa Parypa
Driven by a passion for human psychology and the natural world as it pertains to interior design, Vanessa strives to create spaces that are functional, captivating, and have a strong emphasis on human well-being through sustainable design strategies. She focuses intently on conceptual exploration in her projects to create a truly unique journey for users. Vanessa's interest in biophilic and sustainable design strongly influenced her thesis project for a Medical Skin Cancer Center.
Project Overview
This project celebrates the natural surroundings where it is housed while also addressing a key issue namely, the need for a human-centered designed cancer center with an emphasis on biophilic and sustainable design strategies. Patients face various stressors attending medical facilities with even greater challenges imposed on this demographic since the start of the pandemic. Evidence-based design guided the program of the space as well as key design elements. This space offers patients a variety of spaces that inspire a sense of calm while also supporting user’s well-being.
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Four landmarks of ones journey through a trail, 1. The Valley, 2. The Lake, 3. The Woods, 4. The Cave.
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Parti Diagram: Connection between nature and the built environment (Pathways & Structure)
Concept/Design Process
Nature is an eternal source of inspiration for humankind. Even a small interaction with the environment outdoors has the ability to renew your senses, rejuvenate your mind, and help promote well-being. With the healthcare environment being more time stressed and staff spending more time on the work floor, short breaks in nature can motivate staff to become more productive, while boosting their general well-being and helping the patients heal at a much faster rate.
Site Plan/Floor Plan(s)
The space incorporates a balance between private, semi-private, and public areas giving patients the comfort they deserve while undergoing treatment. The Valley consists of a public space, with a check-in desk, a retail store, and a waiting area. This space supports patients and families before attending the clinical space as you can look out the windows and experience the benefits of the direct exposure to nature the windows allow.
The Lake is a private space (staff only) and consists of all storage rooms, staff lounge, and staff locker rooms. The Woods is a semi-private space that encaptures private spaces such as exam rooms, assessment rooms, and procedure rooms. The Space itself also holds an interior clinic waiting area within the center of the interior garden to promote users' well-being. Lastly, the cave has a brutallist appeal to it, as it is a very bare space, with the majority of the space holding the extra physical facilities team rooms.
3D Views
These 3D views show the aesthetic qualities of the space presenting key features, incorporation of biophilic elements, and a thorough consideration for human-centered design strategies.
Video/Poster
An overview of The Medical Skin Cancer Center is visually represented in this poster format showing floorplans, conceptual sketches, and 3D renderings accompanied by a brief conceptual summary of the project.
