Our first encounter with this project involves two part. Part 1 distribution of project schedule and client description and part 2 is site visits. The client needs a workshop space that users are drug addicts.
The employer is trying to help the healing process by using the psychological effects of colors, lights, forms and the process of building but it also faces severe budget and time constraints. In the second part the project’s site demonstrate that the former status that it used as a local camp, create a prison-like space and ignored all the potential of garden. On the other hand, the existing structure has structural defects. We decided to stay away from fantasies like luxury, minimalist or artistic spaces and extreme use of color, specific shapes and elements such as water (the garden is facing to a severe water shortage) to face the current reality and offer suggestions for achieving a rational and executive plan.
Lack of budget and time and the shortcomings of the existing building and the multiple function of project, pushes us to three main strategy. First, reduce construction costs, second, shorten the construction time, third, flexibility of spaces with the ability to assemble and reconfigure the overall structure. Obviously, these strategies are intended to create an efficient space for addicts.
We assume that to fix the defects in the building, we need to repair the whole shed and execute new electrical and mechanical facilities. Due to the height of the shed, these repairs require scaffolding and use of common tools in construction workshops such as timber, barrels and pallets. These formed the new building materials. We placed segregated workshop spaces in only half of the shed and assumed the other half in a large workshop room to maintain flexibility and reduce costs. This has also allowed the light and garden view to be distributed fairly among the workshops. Considering the need for educational classes, presentations, performances and the most important the communicate that required in NA method, a multifunctional space in the building designed that it involved good view and light and provided a complete visual and physical connection with the garden. This space despite the wall and part of the roof that is glass, can heat the interior space in the winter and provide adequate ventilation in summer with movable shade canopy and openings.
All of the fences in the garden have been used in a suggested scheme relocated to cover the public toilets and the private yard of the guard man. Efforts have been made to provide the entire garden with users and prevent the sense of imprisonment.