Everton Well-being Centre

The idea here is to address the duality of an open community building with the introverted and confidential nature of a doctor's practice. The triangular form is open at each end, but closed along its length. Extrusions are inherently both open and closed. Each end contains public halls with outdoor rooms (open), and the central area the surgeries (closed). The west end is open to St Anthony's facade, with an outdoor room for waiting and contemplation.

An article in the Architects' Journal can be found here.

There is a shift in the geometries from upper to lower. The triangular form aligns symmetrically with St Anthony's Church; its axis runs at a slight angle to the site and urban grid. The lower space aligns with the ground, or urban grid. The lower is open and spreads out into the landscape connected to gardens; the upper is closed, private, confidential. A wall following the geometry of the urban grid cuts up and into the bottom of the triangular form; this is how you get in. A stair or lift brings you up into the centre of the triangle, facing the beautiful facade of St Anthony's Church.

I saw a beautiful timber structure in Scarborough, basically a traditional barn. It's very easy to see how this ancient form could work with the ideas I've been developing for Everton Well-being Centre.

What would a life-enhancing space contain?

In essence, but not functionally, parallels can be drawn between the church building. This archetype traditionally sits at the centre of a community both physically and philosophically. The church in the village I live in completes the design, and without it there would be no centre. The spire can be seen from everywhere. Hence the alignment with St Anthony's Church; its form looms, announcing an omnipotent presence.

I should add at this point that I'm not at all religious, but open to the possibilities or purpose of religion in creating a sense of well-being. If I conveniently ignore the political and cultural power structures that fuel the religious organisation, at its core spirituality is about peace, peace of mind, which, in my experience, relaxes the body and strengthens the immune system. This, coupled with nourishing nutrition and consistent movement, is the base of well-being.

I know someone with two degrees from Oxford who has concluded, from years of research and travel all over the world studying the health systems of Russia, Japan, India and America, that the basis of a clear mind is nutrition, with the benefits to the body being easier to understand.

Sound and music will be a part of this project. The acoustics of the space will elicit a particular feeling; think of how churches sound. Not that this building should sound like a church, but it should have its own resonance. Think of a bandstand in a park, or church bells. A new sound for a centre of health? A multifunctional space, indoor and outdoor, for concerts or health-giving music lessons. Music and well-being go together.

Reading, communal and alone. This is a building in a park or large garden. A park with lots of pockets for reading and contemplation. Small pavilions or shelters. Under a tree.

The park, or large garden around the building, would encourage movement. A path around the grounds for people to stroll; it may undulate in and out of the building, the yellow brick road, but not literally, doctors replace wizards. The space around the building becomes the waiting room.

Find a technology that liberates the waiting from the waiting room.

A multifunctional community hall for all of the above.

Art spaces for exhibitions and production.

Allotments gardening etc..