Date of Award

Spring 6-1-2021

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master in Interior Architecture

Department

Interior Architecture

First Advisor

Jonathan Bell

Second Advisor

Markus Berger

Third Advisor

Julia Bernert

Abstract

With the rapid development and expansion of our cities and the economic demand placed on residents, city dwellers are under more personal stress than ever. Long commutes, overtime work, irregular rest, unhealthy diets, urban pollution and noise all adversely impact wellbeing. These unhealthy conditions overwhelm the mind and make residents mentally and physically sub-healthy. Sub-health is a state between complete health and sickness, which is especially common in large cities. The sub-health rate in Shanghai and Beijing has reached more than 70%.

Chinese medicine can regulate the human body from a holistic perspective and help solve sub-health problems. Chinese medicine refreshes the human body by sensory experience. The environment and atmosphere of the traditional Chinese dispensary are similar to those of ordinary hospitals: serious, calm and rational. These characteristics don’t encourage a good experience, and even bring some further psychological pressure to adjust to the sub-health problem. This thesis proposes a Chinese medicine center to facilitate people’s understanding of TCM using multiple senses, through immersive experiences.

The host site for this TCM rest center is the Shanghai Botanical Garden, which is distinctly separate from the external urban landscape in order to create a relaxing setting to readjust your perspective and learn about TCM.

At the urban scale, Shanghai's subway system serves as a network connecting the entire city. People in Shanghai spend 40 minutes commuting to work every day. The broad ambition of this thesis is to incorporate the healing and relaxing elements of traditional Chinese medicine, such as aroma, into part of the subway system. City dwellers can temporarily escape from the high-paced urban city and be refreshed and healed, through both active engagement with a Traditional Chinese Medicine center and passively as they go through the work day.

Comments

View exhibition online: Ni Tang, Sensory Refreshment TCM Reconsidered

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