Xinyue Liu - care+

A Communal Hub, for Wellness and Connection

#ParisFrance; #Adaptive-Reuse; #Healthcare; #Library; #Theatre; #Sustainability; #Facade.

Collaboration with Lauren Ma.

Located in the 12th arrondissement of Paris near the Gare de Lyon and the La Coulée Verte, Care+ is a comprehensive mental health center dedicated to fostering healing and well-being through a range of therapeutic modalities - traditional therapies alongside therapeutic acts such as reading, moving, making, and performing.

At Care+, our overarching goal is to create an inclusive and supportive environment that addresses the multifaceted nature of mental health care. We strive not only to equip our clients with the essential tools and resources for healing but also to foster open communication, creating a safe space for the general public and destigmatizing mental health.

Site Axon: Before and After

Massing Transformation: Stepped Volumes + ‘Valley’ + Central Passway

Site Analysis, Program, and Circulation

Our site, located near the bustling Gare de Lyon, serves as an urban hub attracting individuals from various parts of the city center, greater Paris, and beyond. Despite the presence of a few clinics and renowned adamant for adults, there exists a notable absence of holistic therapeutic centers catering to all demographics + a lack of places operating extended hours to accommodate commuters.

The12th arron boasts numerous bookshops and a small Anim cultural center, yet there is a dearth of performance centers and libraries offering leisure activities after work hours. Recognizing the therapeutic benefits of reading, movement, acting, and performing, our design revolves around three primary programs: Maison Sante for Mental Health, a public library, and a black box theater.

Timber-Steel Structure. Wooden Bracing, Supporting Cantilever Terraces.

Detail: Timber-Steel Hybrid Structure.

Timber Structural Roof, Enhancing Drainage, Ventilation and Daylight Filtration.

Main Beams Support on Existing Columns

Adaptive Reuse Approach

The primary approach involves preserving the street-front facades and the existing warehouse structure while inserting new volumes supported by a steel-wood hybrid structure. We aim to maximize spatial usage by leveraging the vertical space effectively, meanwhile to design an intimate scale that provides safety and comfort for mental health and well-being.

Ground Floor Plan | Program lobby. Loading. Diagonal passway through plaza.

First Floor Plan | Therapy rooms, reading lounges along facade. Sunken theatre.

Second Floor Plan | 1-ON-1 rooms set along the inner ring. Lifted black box theatre.

Third Floor Plan | Indoor terraces. Black box pipe grid and back of house.

Consultation rooms and lounge areas provide a confidential and safe environment for both one-on-one therapy and group sessions, ensuring care tailored to each client’s needs. Movement lab sessions will also be held in the black-box. This flexible space is designed to integrate expressive arts therapy, offering opportunities for theatre, dance, and other movement-based activities.

In addition to therapeutic spaces, our facility features a library stocked with a collection of literature on mental health, self-help, and personal development. This quiet retreat serves as a resource hub for both care receivers and providers, promoting education in the journey toward mental wellness.

Cross Sectional Perspective

Longitudinal Sectional Perspective. Sustainability Features.

Mountain and Valley

The volumes cascade from both sides, wrapping the library and santé program space with terraces. The step-in also facilitates better daylight filtration and spatial dynamics.

The library and lobby are situated on the east side. Reading lounges are set along the facade and around the more sold archive chamber. The Santé Health Center and its lobby are located on the west. The central passage provides more access and connects the santé-lib volume to the PAC.

Library. Facade module, axon.

Library. Detailed wall section.

Reading Lounge

Double Facade: Library

The inner layer consists of low-e double glazing, to minimize thermal losses while allowing for partial operability for ventilation. The air gap is a thermal cushion, contributing to energy savings throughout both summer and winter.

The library facade module features a 0.2-meter air gap. It comprises double glazing with top operable louvers, complemented by shading mesh. This configuration serves shading, ventilation, and vegetation via a green wall.

Maison Sante. Facade module, axon.

Maison Sante. Detailed wall section.

Consultation Room

Double Facade: Maison Sante

The Sante facade module offers three variations, each equipped with operable outer skin and a 0.5-meter air gap. The west- and east-facing glass louvers utilize translucent PV glass, facilitate ventilation, and are enclosed by a small vegetation terrace.

PAC. Facade module, axon.

PAC. Detailed wall section.

Mezzanine Theatre. Projection on the Blackbox Theatre Wall.

Sunken Theatre below the Blackbox. Projection on Ceiling.

Double Facade: Movement Lab (PAC)

Theatre modules are 1.6 meter wide, incorporating a 0.875-meter air gap, and a 1.8-meter interior mezzanine. Constructed with laminated frosted glass, these modules are designed for controlled ventilation, shading, and acoustic enhancement, ensuring optimal performance and comfort.