Anah || Rehabilitation Centre

architecture design community design Contextual design human scale physiotherapy Psychological Centre rehabilitation center social development

Dewan Award For Architecture 2022 || Top 10 Finalists

Anah is a girl’s name mainly popular in Muslim communities and its main origin is Arabic. It means patience and perseverance.

Anah Rehabilitation Centre, Zayouna, Baghdad

The project is an introverted flow of recovery that provides safety and seclusion to the nonlinearity of the healing journey. It provides a haven to its users as a multi-purpose complex that solely focuses on their well-being

Aim and Context

The people of Iraq were subjected to horrendous acts of terrorism that marred its citizens with both physical and psychological scars. They struggle with disfiguration and disabilities, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), grief, major depression, …etc. where they developed a deep sense of insecurity. The rehabilitation center aims to provide a sanctuary for the victims of terrorism in Iraq with all needed resources to ensure and facilitate the turbulent process of healing.

Approach

The project is cut by a river in half as a significance to Degla River which nearly divides Baghdad into two sides. The flow of the river mimics the dynamic, nonlinear healing journey which is subjected to constant change.

Zoning and Function

The project is divided into three main typologies: physiological therapy, psychological therapy and social development center. The complex aims at providing the acute medical care while giving a sense of security and inclusivity to all its users. It also includes a building for accomodations divided into two floors, ground floor is for male patients and first floor is for female patients for maximum privacy.

Social Development Complex || Main Entrance

It includes workshops, seminar rooms. a library & a social club that hosts different kinds of events. Its main aim is to help users learn various skills as well as help them adapt and address their issues.

Social Club in Social Development Complex || Main Spine

The main spine shows the dynamic flow of the users' journey in the project and the easy navigation between the different centres.

Physical Therapy Centre || Outpatient Clinics Building

The physical therapy centre focuses on giving its users their privacy by having seperate buildings for males and females for physical therapy and gym privileges. The outpatient clinics include medical-consultation clinics, a radiology department and blood sampling labs.

Physical Therapy Centre || Hydrotherapy

Hydrotherapy is any method that uses water to treat a variety of symptoms throughout the body. It's called water therapy, aquatic therapy or pool therapy. It is an evidence-based treatment for some conditions and symptoms like muscle pain and joint stiffness that can be used to treat patients without medications.

Female Physical Therapy Centre || Male Physical Therapy Centre

Both centres provide healthcare, hydrotherapy & gym privileges.

Ground Floor Plan

The project is pedestrian based with car access through the ring road that provides access to an underground basement for parking. However, all transportation inside the rehabilitation centre is through provided golf cars parked all around the project.

First Floor Plan

The Project consists of only two floors to give the users a sense of enclosure and enhance the human scale.

Psychological Centre || Individual Therapy Entrance

The psychological centre holds individual therapy, group therapy, meditation centre, and in-patient wards for patients needs intensive supervised medical care. It provides seperate rooms and waiting areas for children to provide a design that's more suitable and calming for them.

Psychological Centre || Meditation Centre

Meditation is a mental exercise that trains attention and awareness. It's used by therapists and psychiatrist to control and navigate through negative thoughts and feelings and introduce a more mindful approach.

Psychological Centre || In-patient Wards

The patients' rooms overlook a court that increases natural light in the area, natural ventilation & social interaction if they need to through seatings infront of each room and easy access to individual and group therapy in the upper floor of the wards.

Environmental Treatments || Passive Systems

The buildings are characterized by having a spiritual court or "sahn" as an entrance. They have double walls and patterned screens to reduce heat gain as well as inner courts and vents to help enhance the air flow.

Central Park || Spiritual, Entry, Interactive

Central park forms the heart of the project that promotes sense of safety and serenity, the park is designed on 3 main zones: Entry, Interactive (right), Spiritual (left).

Spiritual (Meditation Area) || Entry (Entrance Gate) || Interactive (Bazaar)

The interactive zone includes bazar, group games and workshops. The spiritual zone includes botanical gardens and meditation events and the entry zone takes the user through the main spine to both zones.