INTERTWINED STEEL ARCHITECTURE
Spa for treating PTSD | Twisting / untwisting post traumatic stress and steel
Artur Nesterenko

The Ballona Wetlands, located in Southern California, is one of the few remaining wetlands of the Los Angeles area, yet it continues to decrease in size due to urban development.  The area of natural land has been reduced by thousands of square acres due to construction within the past 70 years.  The PTSD treatment center will be lifted above the wetlands to preserve the land by its bending nature.  This makes for a building that only makes contact with the ground at two points and strengthens the structure by forming an arch.  The twist of the structure makes it a spectacle from the freeway and raises awareness of post-traumatic stress while representing a metaphysical twist in the victims of PTSD and the building twisting them back into shape.

Steel as a building material represents the most contemporary in architecture and allows for curved surfaces and long spans.  The building serves as a retreat from the harshness of the city and creates a place of meditation in the heart of the wetlands.  By being secluded and separated, it allows for peaceful reflection and reconnection with self.  The journey through the building and the surrounding nature guides one to his or her true nature.  Living in our modern times is a stressful endeavor and leaves one with no time to spare.  The treatment center will encourage the people inhabiting it to spend time reflecting and breaking away from the unhealthy habits that have become widely accepted in our society.