HOLMEN
Translating the Norwegian governments aim for social integration into a new work and activity centre
Context:
Bømlo, Norway
Tutors:
Anders Rubing (APP)
Hedvig Skjerdingstad (DAV)
Pernille H. Dale
+47 40612454
pernillehdale@outlook.com
The project is a new work and activity centre in a re-used school building in the municipality centre of Bømlo, Norway. I aim to translate the Norwegian governments’ goal for social integration by re-thinking co-location of municipal mental health care offers.
It is each municipality’s responsibility to provide work and activity offers for people with mental disability, mental illness or people otherwise on pension. Yet, there are no governmental guidelines or regulations as to what a work and activity centre should contain. The government’s main goal of the centres is to offer any form of employment for the users and facilitate social integration and normalization. Today, many municipalities in Norway co-locates offers for people with mental illness, substance abuse problems or mental disability. I believe that segregated offers within mental health care increases stigmatisation and social segregation. If co-location is to happen, it should be done in a new and different way.
Holmen Work and Activity Centre will connect people through production and work training, physical and social activities. To avoid stigmatisation by segregated offers within mental health care, I aim to include programs and users from various social groups, without a hierarchy of programs for mentally ill or disabled. The design of the new work and activity centre transpires from the different users’ and their needs. From the body and mind and to the interrelation between users, local community, built environment and nature.
