The Human Body Shop
An Institute for Human Body Augmentation
M. Sitorus (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
J.M. van Zalingen – Mentor (TU Delft - Building Knowledge)
E. Milczarek – Mentor (TU Delft - Teachers of Practice / A)
G. Karvelas – Mentor (TU Delft - Teachers of Practice / AE+T)
C.H.E. van Ees – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Education and Student Affairs)
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Abstract
The following research focuses on "The Human Body Shop", an institute for human body augmentation. It is a hospital-oriented project based on the following research question: “How will human body augmentation reflect change in the hospital typology in the future?” Hospitals are some of the most critical buildings in society, but they are only part of it during times of necessity. The highly complex programs and dominant circulation systems of the traditional "healing machine" have created a labyrinth environment that society tends to avoid rather than engage with, discover, or feel connected to.
Innovation in the field of human body augmentation has initiated a shift from buildings functioning as healing machines to the human body itself as the locus of healing. This shift not only alters the human body but also transforms the hospital typology as we know it today. Future hospitals will specialize exclusively; in this case in the customized procedures involved in augmenting human bodies. These institutions will also engage in research and educate the next generation of professionals, as well as the broader society.
The continuous advancement of technology will necessitate a flexible program, which in turn will require a modular structure. This flexibility opens the possibility of reimagining the hospital as a more open and integrated environment, redefining its relationship with public spaces. These spaces will not only provide an escape but will also create opportunities for the public to gather for various activities and engage as a community within the scale of the neighbourhood; within the larger context of Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany.
The future modular hospital typology will be seamlessly interwoven with everyday life, transforming its image from that of an isolated institution to a subtle collection of buildings integrated into the urban fabric. Introducing "the Human Body Shop" - a new hospital typology that is not only part of society in times of need but also an integral part of daily life.