The project is a "Mental Health Center" in the city of Nablus, which is lies at West Bank of Palestine .
· Project and Site Selection:
The project "Mental Health Center" was chosen to be design because of the great negligence of mental health sector at our country Palestine - especially the northern West-Bank region - and Focus on the physical health and various other diseases.
Nablus was been chosen as location for this project because it is the center of the northern West Bank, and has a huge educational edifice Called An-Najah University, which is gathering the most of the students and staff of the West Bank. Also its markets full of various other city dwellers.
On the other hand, Nablus is the largest city at the north of the West-Bank in terms of population, and its median site helps to make connected network of psychological service in the West.
The land of this project is a hill in Upper Mount "Ebal" at "Asira St." with a fantastic and amazing view. This region was distinctive for being lying within the lands of "A" classification. and that enforce neighboring buildings to be residential houses with no more two floors and roof according to the municipal laws of the city of Nablus, which reduces the population density, and provides a convenient quiet environment for the existence of a mental health center, and that prevent from building the center in a remote and isolated rural area.
The area of the land is about 50,000m². surrounded by a 15m width street from all sides, with a sub Street starts from the eastern region and extends to the center of the land. The ground has a high slope, which provides a beautiful view from any point in the project.
· The main idea for the project:
Before starting with the main idea I want to note that psychopaths are not people who are crazy nor those with mental retardation, but they are people affected by psychological pressures in their social life led them to have psychological issues. And as any patient needs - such as flu patients or any physical illness - treatment, these centers considered to be treatment centers for those patients.
Psychopaths are divided in two categories:
1. Out-patient (Acute illness):
Here, the patient receives the treatment needed whether it was mental consultation or physical treatment or occupational therapy, and then leaves. If the patient needs to stay for a while longer, there are special sleeping rooms for those patients.
2. In-patient (Chronic illness):
The patient here stays for long periods that could prolong to months to receive the treatment needed, and the environment is devoted to the patient to feel like at home.
The design idea for this project is derived from the scattered statue, delusion, losing the right way that the patient suffers and -in some cases such as schizophrenia - absence of awareness of what's going on around so the patient will live in a mess between illusion and reality.
The therapy provided by this centre is represented by a line that will lead the patient to the right way and will gather the scattered ideas in uniformity around this line to act as a path with all the departments are distributed around it. Also some courts are used as a green setting areas and helps for ventilation.
The project divided to three main zones:
1. The public zone - Entrance Zone:
the ground floor contains:
· The main entrance from the long path.
· The out-patient clinics ( both mental health and general clinics).
· Emergency area.
· Labs area.
the first floor contains:
· The rest of the clinics.
· Administration area, staff offices and multipurpose room.
The basement floor (B1) contains:
· Treatments for men and women, and E.E.G room
· Sleeping rooms for out-patients.
2. Semi-public zone - occupational therapy and entertaining areas:
The occupational therapy area contains:
· Class rooms, Library, computer lab, music therapy, workshop rooms, multi-purpose room.
The entertaining area contains:
· Cafeteria, Gym, Fitness, water therapy.
And this zone is open on a court used as a green setting area.
3. Private zone - Inpatient residential rehabilitation area:
· Three doubles of buildings each rise two or three stories, and specified for elderly, children and adults. All these doubles have area for male and female patients with two elevators equiped with control devices.
· Also each story of these building contain control unit with a bedroom for responsible nurse.
· The bedrooms are two types, for one patient and group at an average of 6-7 beds in the story.
· Green terrace in each story with one door to enhance safety. and the terrace surrounded by glass railings with 2.30 m height (allows vision through it and provides safety).
· Some special treatments have been involved in this project:
· limited the streets close to the general area, in order to protect patients and keep them within the space surrounded by natural green environment (for safety and control purposes).
· glass railings with 2.30 m height (allows vision through it and provides safety).
· Use of natural green elements which provide psychological comfort for patients.
· Use of wide corridors.