Restorative Environments: A campus for trafficked youth in Chiang Rai, Thailand

Abstract

This project explores the role of architectural space in the restoration and rehabilitation process of victims of human trafficking in Chiang Rai, Thailand. This thesis suggests that thoughtfully designed and healthy spaces can go beyond meeting the shortage of housing for trafficked youth to also bring dignity, healing and rehabilitation. To investigate this idea, a design proposal was made for a transitional residential campus for a hypothetical client, Thai Freedom House, an NGO that operates in the northern Thai province of Chiang Rai. Beginning with the knowledge that physical space can effect mood and emotions, the basic strategy was to provide a healthy and therapeutic campus. This is achieved via natural ventilation, natural daylight, and the integration of natural materials--both building materials and plant materials. These strategies were influenced heavily by the local traditional architectural designs and construction. Addressing the needs of victims of trafficking specifically was accomplished through site zoning of indoor and outdoor spaces, the creation of multiple layers of spatial boundaries, and careful design of thresholds. Thresholds between intimate and social spaces were deliberately delineated, putting residents in control of their passage from secluded spaces to more social spaces.