A mental healthcare center focused on holistic health practices through social and environmental connectivity Pender County Holistic Care places particular emphasis on mental welfare and substance abuse in Surf City and adjacent populations.
The Pender County Health Assessment this year identified the community health needs priorities to be focused on mental health and substance use disorders. The need identified through this data was reinforced by a negative public opinion on existing methods of long-term mental healthcare in the area, and by a desire from the residents to strengthen the area’s sense of community to grow support systems.
The proposed is a center to facilitate connections in a fashion that is mutually beneficial to the community already active within the adjacent Parks and Recreation Center and those in healing at the Pender County Holistic Care by fostering social relationships. This is accomplished through a program which works on three levels; first is for those in need of crisis care with a small ER, second is for those in need of long term residential care for mental illness and substance abuse disorders in a residential unit, and third is for the continual use of the community with group and private counseling rooms, a public café, and classrooms for use by the Surf City Parks and Recreation Center’s growing community programs and classes.
Site Flythrough
Two Major Approaches:
-Vehicular
-Pedestrian via the adjacent parks & rec facility
Site Analysis - The site was chosen for it's ideal location along evacuation routes in the likely event of flooding, as well for its more poetic qualities. Much of the site is taken over by wetlands rich with life which respect shadows of trees and plants long since departed. This interaction between life and death throughout the landscape provides a promising backdrop for a place of healing.
While located near the town center and only a block off of the main street of Surf City, the natural boundaries prevent sounds of commercial disruption from permeating even 5 feet into the site. Play the recording here and listen to the sounds of the site on it's busiest edge.
The document above details the research conducted in pre-design phases of this project. While this includes information gathered on site analysis, demographic data, and county health assessments, the most impactful research was gathered from conversations with people. We went to visit the local hospital workers, we sang karaoke with the towns people, we watched a hard rock magician pull a bird out of a hat at a bar in a trailer on the beach. To really know the people and continue to know them and include them in the design process through the entire duration of the project was essential in ensuring lasting success.