Faculty of Design
Environmental Design - Interior Design Specialization
Maheen Kamal
MemoryScape
Environmental Design
2021
For over 120 years of service, the Hamilton Psychiatric Hospital (formerly known as the Hamilton Insane Asylum), was the 6th facility to be established in Ontario in 1875. The Barton Building which housed over 500 patients, was considered to be “one of the healthiest psychiatric hospital institutions overlooking the most picturesque views in Canada” (Hamilton Spectator, 1920). Century Manor was a significant addition in 1885 because it marked an important step in improving healthcare by creating small-sized cottage residences. Even when treatments were primitive compared to today’s standard, the site records the evolution of institutional psychiatric care and the continuous effort made by dedicated professionals working towards one objective, which was the wellbeing of the individual. Abandoned for over 25 years, Century Manor is the only significant building which still stands today.This project will focus on the adaptive reuse of Century Manor and bring back the partial footprint of the main Barton Building on the site. The focus is to revitalize this abandoned site by creating a connection to the surrounding landscape as well as its history by reimagining the former hospital grounds as a gateway to wellness, recreation & education. The purpose is to target the different user groups in the neighbourhood.The programs and their intentions that are introduced in the project are not new to the site: the vertical farm, the ice rink, the underground tunnels, and framing picturesque views are all things that existed on these grounds with one intention; the wellbeing of the individual.
“This thesis focuses on bringing back the essence of the site in a modern context through its positive memories to create a Memoryscape through the transparency of the past, not only through the programs but the materiality as well.”