The diploma project explores the architectural and spatial condition of dermatological care and proposes model facilities for holistic dermatological treatment in Kyperounta, Cyprus. The investigation draws on the author’s personal experience with the therapeutic challenges of an autoimmune skin condition. His continuous presence in dermatology clinics for more than three years, particularly within the Cypriot context, raised the question of whether existing healthcare structures are truly suitable for dermatological conditions and whether patients’ needs are adequately addressed.
Guided by personal experiences and a study of public hospitals in Cyprus, a significant gap was identified in the provision of modern dermatological treatment facilities across the island. Various alternative locations were examined, and among them, Kyperounta was selected as the most suitable site for the development of a model centre, where comprehensive dermatological care would be provided, and medical treatment would be enhanced by the natural environment of this mountainous area.
The architectural proposal addresses the steep morphology of the terrain, the proximity to existing historic hospital buildings, as well as the materialities of the broader environment, proposing the distribution of the program into three buildings: the Dermatology Clinic, a Unit for the Cultivation and Production of Organic Products, and an Information Centre with a Visitor Guesthouse. Together, these three buildings, in conjunction with the existing hospital, contribute to the creation of a holistic model centre for the treatment of dermatological conditions, with potential for the development of alternative therapies.
The proposal perceives care as a notion that extends beyond the narrow concept of medical treatment, embracing practices of education, prevention, and public awareness. At the same time, it seeks to integrate the natural environment as an active factor in patient care, cultivating new connections between architecture and public health.
