Biophilic Wellness Center

Client | Narenj Tree Foundation

Location | Idlib, Syria

Instructor | Robert Fryer

Mentor | Helena Van Vliet

Studio | Thesis

Software | Revit, Lumion, Photoshop

The Biophilic Wellness Center is a facility that is restorative for the orphans’ well-being, in order to nourish a future generation that will rebuild a bright future for Syria. The aim of the the project is to create a resilient biophilic wellness center that acts as an agricultural, economical, and architectural model for rebuilding Syria.

Marwa Al-Sabouni, an architect located in war-torn Homs, was an inspiration for the project emphasizing, “we can learn to rebuild in another way, how to create an architecture that doesn’t contribute to the practical and economic aspects of people’s lives, but also to their social, spiritual, and psychological needs”. This was taken into consideration by assessing the vernacular design and implementing the principles of biophilia.

Idlib’s cooling dominated climate may make natural ventilation during the hot summer months difficult. This potential was investigated, however, with the use of a wind tower, which acts as a duct allowing air to pass from outdoor to indoor. To ensure the wind tower method works in providing proper airflow and thermal comfort for the classrooms, an IES model simulation was tested until the final effective outcome was reached.

To allow the proper amount of daylight, the window-to-wall ratio was calculated and Radiance test simulations were run. Once the window size was determined, the light shelf was calculated to prevent sunlight from entering the space, only allowing diffuse light to enter. The simulation for day-lighting was taken in a room facing east.