24 HOUR KNOWLTON SCHOOL COMPETITION | HOSPITAL COURTYARD

Establishing a new ground plane within the courtyard O’Bleness Memorial Hospital complex in Athens, OH, provides an moment of respite and offers patients, family members, employees. and visitors a temporary escape.  A subtle downward shift via a ramp transitions the visitor from the busy and often chaotic hospital environment to a more tranquil atmosphere.  Once in the new courtyard, visitors find themselves in an ever-expanding forest created by reflective surfaces, providing the chance for individual and communal reflection.  Running water establishes an acoustical barrier from the surrounding context and benches suggest momentary stasis and the opportunity to experience biophilia.