During physical therapy, patients must not only contend with their injury and the physical task of exercising, but also the stress of their daily lives. To remain motivated, patients must be focused on their goals to strengthen, heal, and repair their injuries. The aim of the design is to remove the patient from the boundaries of the city and displace their attention either inward or outward.
Activities that do not involve strenuous exercise operate on the lower level. Thick walls and high windows allow only slivers of refracted light and create a naturally protective atmosphere. The low-light, compressed spaces offer a peaceful tranquility in comparison to the stress and hustle of normal life.
On the top floor, the spaces are expanded with a flood of natural daylight. The pools are oriented toward views of nature and directed above the nearby rooftops to foster the user’s sense of empowerment.
Lofting the exercise pools above ground creates two radically different spaces. The lower cavity becomes an introverted space, separating users from the urban environment and providing the bulk of the circulation for the building. Due to the increased height of the pools, the second floor offers users an empowering view above surrounding buildings.