– st. damiano, residential community for people with mental disabilities, colour concept and three-dimensional communications, 2nd stage of construction, stuttgart 2013

st. damiano II

in hospitals and –worse still – psychiatric clinics, one is instantly overcome (or at least designers are) by a deep sense of despondency on account of the – to put it mildly – abjectly inhospitable mood of the place and the repulsive ugliness of the architecture. the extent of the barbaric constraints at play here provides a fine? example of the products of our consensus-based society. shouldn’t such places automatically qualify for an extra portion of tender loving care? shouldn’t they be designed with extra-special sensitivity in order not to worsen the suffering by imposing such depressing aesthetics? fortunately, there are exceptions. another ward at st. damiano is currently undergoing a process of beautification, with graphic wallpaper, doors you can understand without being able to read, and brightly coloured furniture creating a humane, which is to say carefully designed, environment for residents, carers and cleaners.

st. damiano, residential community for people with mental disabilities
colour concept and three-dimensional communications
2nd stage of construction
stuttgart 2013

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