Acoustic sanctuary: the South African Ayres sensory facility located on the foot of Naval Hill
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Date
2022
Authors
Coertz, Henry Reginald
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
This project centres around repurposing a historical water reservoir and pumpstation located on the foot of Naval Hill, Bloemfontein into an alternative speech therapy centre, where architecture plays a critical role in speech therapy arguably equal to that of any professional pathologist. Apart from a reimagined speech pathologist office, the South African – Ares Sensory facility (SA-AS Facility) also incorporates a sensory park. The impetus of this project is the sensory park and the freedom of therapy that it represents. Freedom to mend a speech disorder at the tempo of the patient, though neurologically stimulating garden structures. Similar to gymnasium equipment, these follies allow patients to exercise their neurological network of senses that all contribute to address speech disorder, hence the phonic gymnasium description of this SA-AS facility.
This dissertation covers complex therapeutic and theoretical topics, and the information from each chapter contains the chronologically necessary information to understand the chapters that follow. Chapter one directly starts with what is known about speech sound disorders. Chapter two contains the reinterpretation of Frank Lloyd Wright’s concepts of organic architecture in order to establish a physical form of the essence of this dissertation. From here, the discourse starts to question the communication process at an anatomical level and therefore translates the auditory defect of speech impairments to that of musical melodies and architectural rhythm. These phonic applications are then explored within architectural precedents while being related back into sound correction (Speech therapy) and mobility (occupational therapy). Chapter 3 clarifies and analysis the project goals and location within these mentioned ideals. While chapter 4 refines all the information provided into three conceptual models. These physical manifestations investigate the architectural application of scientific research and therapeutic discourse. The final chapters explain the design development and folly rationale before leading to the final design.
Description
Dissertation (M.Arch. (Architecture))--University of the Free State, 2022