Beyond the battlefield: Journey to a better place

Abstract

RESEARCH QUESTION: How can architecture respond to the needs of veterans of the Republic of Fiji military forces to reintegrate them back into the society?

ABSTRACT: Beyond the Battlefield” is a project intended to improve the lives of the veterans in Fiji. It is an exploration of the issues they face adjusting back to society. The transition from warzone to civilian life can be daunting, and the consequences are reflected later in their lifestyle.

This project emphasises combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder as an integral problem which requires immediate attention and provides a proposition of a non-institutionalised rehabilitation facility, which aims to help the veterans readjust into the civilian lifestyle.

The approach of this project begins with a directed study of the problem of combat-related PTSD, the causes and the treatments which are currently available. A series of relevant precedent studies have been explored and analysed to determine a functional design strategy. Pursuing this further, the traditional architecture of Fiji is used as a model; therefore the vernacular architecture, the historical canoes and traditional healing methods are investigated.

Analysis through drawings and diagrams as methods of testing the theoretical claims from the previous researches and precedents provides a starting point for the design suggestion. The architectural elements that show prospective design drivers have been extracted and integrated into the design of the rehabilitation facility. This project intends to articulate a design that complements the local architectural context of this project, creating the spirit of a nurturing environment for the occupants of the facility.

Site: Suva, Fiji