Fitness First

Img 1: Graphic representation of the percentage of population affected by obesity around the world, by country.

Premise

Globally, 2016 saw more than 1.9 billion (18 years and older) overweight adults. Of these over 650 million were obese. Extending this demographic to children we got a reading of 340 million children and adolescents in the age group of 5- 19 and 40 million children under the age of 5 over the next two years.

Having tripled globally and increased almost five times in children and adolescents, since 1975. Obesity has now become a global phenomenon, affecting people of all ages, from all social groups in both developed and developing countries.

Caused by a complex amalgamation of dietary, lifestyle, genetic, psychological, sociocultural, economic and environmental factors, its root cause is still unknown.

 

Img 2: An image of a measuring tape, one of most important tools to measure BMI, a measure to classify overweight and obesity in adults.

Issue

Associated with a higher prevalence of diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and increasing susceptibility to the recent treat of COVID- 19, the burden of obesity is high.

Its predominance increasing at an alarming rate, obesity today is responsible for 8% of global deaths.

Followed by a long list of myths and constantly being misunderstood, how can we stop the blame game and re-evaluate our approach in addressing this complex , global health problem?

How can we respond to this global health crisis?

 

 

Img 4: Image representative of the blace in mind, body and spirit that holistic healing Stresses on.

Oppurtunity

Holism as a theory propounds that parts of a whole are in intimate interconnection, such that they cannot exist independently of the whole, or cannot be understood without reference to the whole, which is thus regarded as greater than the sum of its parts.

Extending this to health, we arrive at the understanding that wellness is more than the absence of disease and is a careful balance of the mind, body and spirit. 

Can this technique be applied in an attempt to address the growing concerns of global health and wellness?

One of the most common barriers to an holistic approach to health is a lack of awareness.

How do we navigate this barrier?

 

Img 5: Image representative of the advantages of learning about and making healthier choices from an early age.

Brief of the competition

How can we bridge the gap between community and wellbeing?

As a solution, how can this be community focused, inclusive and age appropriate? Does the fact that most lifestyle diseases including obesity, lack a specific prerequisite, but is rather reflective of the way we live, mean that we start as young as possible?

How far would creating and expanding awareness and guidance work as a solution toward growing health concerns? How can it be made accessible and wholesome?

Design challenge : Develop a solution for a Centre of Wellness, a space that encourages, simplifies, informs and guides holistic community health.

 

Objectives

Educate: Inspire Inform, guide and encourage the community toward a healthier lifestyle.

Interface: Blur the boundaries between art, architecture and technology.

Scale: Reach for solutions on a global level.

Inclusive: Stress on accessibility, diversity and inclusion.

The following objectives can be a point of beginning to conceive this design. Participants can assume their own contexts and users before initiating their design process.

 

Programmatic Outline

A programmatic outline intended to host about 75 people at immediate expanse with a floating population of about 120/150 people is recommended for this challenge. Participants are recommended to craft a schematic programme based on these given segments or they can propose something new altogether.

 

Img 6: Image representative of the density of obesity as a problem.

Context

Global patterns show that the share of people who are overweight tends to be higher in affluent countries and lower at lower incomes. In most high-income countries, around two-thirds of adults are overweight or obese. In the US, 70% are.

Obesity in the United States has come to be one of the most serious health problems today, with 2/3rds of the adult population either overweight or obese. Even more alarmingly, childhood obesity has tripled in the same duration, from 6.5 percent to 16.3 percent.

Already noted to have significant health consequences, at this point it is imperative to realize that obesity as an epidemic is affecting all areas of life, including a diminishing active workforce and a burdened national economy, increasing healthcare costs in the United States by 6 percent to 12 percent.

 

Img 8: Skyline - Jackson, Mississippi

Jackson, Mississippi

State Capital and the most populated city of the US state of Mississippi, the City of Jackson, Mississippi leads the nation in prevalence of obesity (well over the national agerage, the latest results comparing 39.5 percent to 30.9 percent) but several initiatives are moving us closer to the top in terms of fighting it among our youth and adults.

 

Img 8: Image representative of the location of the proposed site with respect to the larger picture.

Site Plan

Located in close proximity to the largest public museum of art in the state, the site is conveniently located at a junction offering visible fronts of all three of its sides, this being one of its best assets.

FAR 1.5 | Site Area- 2958.09 sqm | 32°17'53.4"N 90°11'23.9"W

Only regulations to be followed: Height restrictions - 7m, Setbacks of 3m on all 3 sides.