Hasta La Ideas

You can’t miss this bright red psychiatric centre in Spain, where the differently pitched roofs are meant to reveal how much mental activity takes place in each room.

Completed by Spanish architects ///g.bang/// the new youth facility in Zaragoza connects to the existing Nuestra Señora del Carmen Neuropsychiatric Centre through an underground tunnel.

Roofs with the steepest pitches are located above shared common rooms, while shallow gables correspond to patient bedrooms and staff quarters are located beneath flat roofs.

The red powder-coated zinc sheets cover the entire exterior, interrupted only by frameless windows.

In the past we’ve also featured a mental health clinic where the doors don’t open but the walls do instead – take a look here.

Photography is by Jesús Granada.

Here’s a longer description from architects:

Young Disabled Moduls and Workshop Pavilions
‘Módulo Para El Tratamiento De Jóvenes Con Discapacidades Conductuales’

ONE CONCEPT, ONE COLOR AND ONE MATERIAL

The assignment is motivated by the need to expand the Neuropsychiatric Center Our Lady of Carmen, in Zaragoza.

In the first phase there is a new support center for youth with behavioral problems, and currently sharing facilities with the geriatric section and, by the nature of their treatment and pathology, was necessary to become independent.

In a second phase will be built the “Module for Occupational Workshops.”

PROGRAM

It has 10 single bedrooms and 8 double rooms, with toilets. The common areas of the internal are two living rooms and dining room.

The program is completed with, reception room, two offices, laundry, office, control room toilets, storage and utility room.

GEOMETRY

The floor plan is rectangular, dimensions 15.5 x 65 m. The facade has no cantilevers , but reflects the emptying of the building volume in the direction north, creating a courtyard to capture sunlight and allow controlled the patients to stay there in the summer.

The roof, for the most part, sawtooth shape, with variable slopes – very steep at some points – reflects, from the outside, the degree of internal mental activity in relation to the type of rooms they occupy: the resting or sleeping area with a slope of 60%, common areas or with maximum activity have outstanding peak of 240%.

The treatment of the spaces occupied by the medical staff and caregivers has been dealt with flat roofs.

Click above for larger image

MATERIAL/COLOR

Façade and roof are covered with red zinc coated sheet. Historically, these centers, known as asylums were unrecognizable and hidden by society.

Click above for larger image

But Hospital, “hospitare” in Latin, means “to receive as a guest” and together with the values of the Congregation and its founder, “Hospitality between people who suffer mental impairment” and “integrating the patients into society as far as possible” where the main goals… The red color is a symbol that makes them visible… that robs us of prejudice… that emphasizes the social work… makes us more sexy! The material… the shape of this whole “scene” had to be modeled nobly!

Architect: José Javier Gallardo Ortega ///g.bang///
Graphic design: Ivo Gigante Tiago
Client: Nuestra Señora del Carmen Neuropsychiatric Centre | Hermanas Hospitalarias del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús

Type: Medical Facility
Location: Camino del Abejar – Zaragoza, 50011, Spain
Building status: built in 2011
Number of stories: 1 (+1 underground connection with the existing buildings)
Site size: 12000 m2
Site type: Suburban
Building area: 1000 m2
Budget: 1500000 USD

Relax your muscles and balance your chi with this Swedish acupressure mat

Whether you’re looking for a little therapeutic relief after a long day on hill or just need to balance the flow of your inner chi, the Vila Mat aims to help. Created by snowboarders Justin Steinhardt and Hjalmar Hedman, the Vila Mat harnesses the power of acupuncture through its crown-shaped plastic spikes—a remedy known to reduce physical pain, increase circulation and boost mental energy.

Commonly used in Sweden (the word “vila” translates to repose in Swedish), the mat has developed a cult following around the world by everyone from yoga instructors in LA to Finnish pro snowboarder Jussi Oksanen. I recently put the yoga-sized Vila Mat to the test, and found the spikes incite an almost immediate heat sensation that relaxes the body. After 30 minutes, my back muscles felt looser and my mind felt more at ease. Although the effects of acupressure mats aren’t confirmed by medical doctors, anyone who spends significant time behind a computer will likely benefit from the stimulation that mat provides and the meditative state it inspires.

The Vila Mat comes in three colors—stone gray, ocean blue and royal blue—and sells online for $40.

Norwegian architects Snøhetta have submitted plans for a Maggie’s Centre to provide cancer care facilities in Aberdeen, Scotland.

The single-storey centre would have a curved form, with a hard concrete exterior and a soft timber interior.

The building is proposed beside a field, but would also have its own courtyard garden with a cherry tree at the centre.

Aberdeen City Council are expected to either approve or reject the plans in approximately eight to twelve weeks time.

Maggie’s was founded fifteen years ago to provide support to anyone affected by cancer –  you can see more Maggie’s Centres here.

Here’s some more text from Snøhetta:

First glimpse of Maggie’s Aberdeen

Maggie’s Aberdeen takes a step closer to becoming a reality as initial design concepts are released to coincide with the planning application being submitted to Aberdeen City Council.

The council will now spent 8-12weeks deliberating over the design of the Maggie’s Centre at the Foresterhill site of Aberdeen Royal Infirmary before coming to a decision on granting permission.

This week saw the release of the initial design image of the Centre, as designed by Oslo based architectural firm Snohetta.

Maggie’s Aberdeen will continue Maggie’s legacy of bringing contemplative architectural to hospital sites; providing the all important right environment for Maggie’s to facilitate their programme of emotional and practical support to anyone affected by cancer.

A string of talented architects have now designed Maggie’s Centres, including the likes of Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid and Rem Koolhaas. Snohetta will follow in such footsteps to design the latest Maggie’s Centre, and will draw on local expertise to realise the vision of the Centre.

Laura Lee, Maggie’s CEO, said: “We are so pleased that the application is now under consideration by the council. The design for Maggie’s Aberdeen is really striking and encapsulates the Maggie’s brief in providing a space that is homely and full of warmth, whilst sparking curiosity and imagination from its visitors. This is a building that will first and foremost provide the ideal environment for people facing cancer in the region to gain support, whilst also greatly contributing to architecture within the region. Monty’s Maggie’s Appeal has inspired a fantastic response from the community and I look forward to entering 2012 with such a tenacious and supportive team.”

Colin Welsh, Chairman of Monty’s Maggie’s Appeal Committee said: ““This is a real milestone for us and a time to thank all of the donors who have supported the Appeal over the last year when all we had to talk about was the concept of the Centre. I also want to commend all the local companies who are giving services free of charge. We are hoping that being able to see what the building will look like and where it will sit, will give our Appeal further momentum.”

Richard Carey, NHS Grampian Chief Executive, said: “What great progress for Monty’s Maggie’s Appeal to have reached this important stage in development. The initial design manages to be both stunning and modern whilst appearing welcoming at the same time. It will certainly be an exciting and most worthwhile building to have on our Foresterhill site and for the people of Grampian. This is a centre that will be greatly utilised by all in the region affected by cancer and it’s great to take a step closer to that reality.”

Charles Jencks said: “Snohetta, coming from the Norwegian culture, has great insight into the life and landscape of the Scots – particularly Aberdeen, a short hop from Oslo. Their mixture of a warm interior of furnishing embraced by a protective shell strikes just the right balance for Maggie’s.”

Location

The location of the Centre will be at the southern boundary of Foresterhill at the edge of the Westburn field. The enviable location will allow the centre to be connected to the hospital whilst at the same time being set apart and independent.

Building

The building is conceived as a pavilion in its parkland setting. The soft exterior form envelops the whole of the centre, and will be cladded with a hard concrete materiality. Whilst the interior building will be more angular in design but will be constructed from soft timber materials. The centre is primarily on one ground floor level with a smaller mezzanine area devoted to the office functions.

Landscaping

The centre will sit within a grass field, with the existing tree line along the Westburn is to be retained and strengthened by new planting of Maple trees to the western end. To mark the entrance, a group of Beech trees will be planted, contrasting in colour and texture to the existing trees. A courtyard garden will be at the heart of the Centre and will form a secluded outdoor space. The courtyard will be covered with a mix of hard and soft surfaces with a centrally planted Flowering Cherry Tree.

A bold new beverage mixes coconut water and coffee to brilliant ends

Here at the CH HQ, we have a bit of an obsession with coconut water and coffee. While it never occurred to us to combine our two favorite beverages, a new drink called Coco Café out of California has found synergy among this unconventional pairing. The hydration and health benefits of the coconut water balance out the natural metabolic boost from the espresso coffee, making this a great restorative option for the demands of daily life.

The flavor experience of Coco Café is what you might expect from an iced latte. The low-fat milk doesn’t drown out the bold espresso taste, and the coconut adds a slight nuttiness to the finish. Coconut water is chock-full of benefits for long and short-term health—high levels of electrolytes and potassium keep your body balanced, and the antioxidants stave off free radicals over time. As for the espresso, the organic fair trade beans have enough punch to get you through even the most taxing routines.

The concept for Coco Café was born when surfer and yoga practitioner Elan Eifer needed something to get him through early morning yoga classes. Eifer found the natural goodness of coconut water a perfect complement to espresso’s energizing effects. His erstwhile roommate and restauranteur Brian McCaslin had faith in the concoction and the two set out to create the world’s first coconut water cafe latte.

Coco Café is available for purchase online and at select Whole Foods locations.

Electronics brand Jawbone have launched a wristband by San Francisco designer Yves Behar that monitors your every move then tells you what to do.

A motion sensor in the UP wristband tracks daily activity, exercise and sleep phases, then relays this data to a smartphone app that gives advice for a healthier lifestyle.

It also has a tiny vibration motor that acts as a silent alarm and can be programmed to nudge you into activity.

The app includes a food diary so you can take photos of your meals and note how your body reacts.

The wristband plugs directly into an iPhone, iPad or iPod through the headphone socket and the rechargeable battery lasts for up to ten days, fully charging in 80 minutes.

The band has a springy steel core that’s adjusted by squeezing it around the wrist, although it also comes in three sizes.

It’s designed to be worn 24/7 and is covered in a sweat-proof, waterproof, thermoplastic rubber.

This time last year fuseproject and Jawbone launched the Jambox wireless speaker – watch an interview about it that we filmed with Behar in Milan on Dezeen Screen.

See all our stories about fuseproject here.

Here are some more details from Jawbone:

Jawbone, a leading innovator of products and services for the mobile lifestyle, today unveiled UPTM, a revolutionary system that consists of a small wristband and an engaging App for iPhone and iPod touch that work together to track your daily activity, sleep patterns, and eating habits helping you live a healthier life. UP, originally previewed at TED Global, also integrates a social experience and open content platform to motivate you with personal and team challenges tailored to help you achieve your goals.

Global health is on a disturbing and rapid decline: chronic lifestyle induced conditions such as heart disease, certain forms of cancer, and diabetes are now the leading cause of death in the US and many other parts of the world. The World Economic Forum predicts the global costs of these non-communicable diseases will reach a staggering £30 trillion over the next 20 years. Research shows that simply moving more, improving sleep quality and eating healthier can help prevent most of these lifestyle diseases, yet lasting behavior change is often difficult to achieve. Further studies have however shown that when people are aware of and engaged in their health and can stay consistently involved, they are indeed able to become healthier.

“As the global health crisis mounted, we felt a strong sense of responsibility to see if we could leverage our resources, talents, and ecosystem to try and help make a difference,” said Hosain Rahman, Jawbone CEO and Founder. “UP is Jawbone’s first step in giving people tools to become engaged as consumers of their own health. It’s a complete system designed to integrate seamlessly into one’s total lifestyle, 24 hours a day, not just the few times a week people may work out. We integrated MotionX® with our expertise in building sophisticated technology into small packages, which enabled us to craft a wearable and power-efficient band that beautifully disappears onto your body. And thanks to the success and adoption of the iPhone, millions of users already have beautiful displays and robust computing platforms in their pocket. We harness that amazing display with a fun, engaging iPhone app to bring the band to life. The result is a product experience that you will actually wear and love to keep using.”

UP by Jawbone empowers people to live a healthier life in three key ways: Measure, Engage, and Act.

MEASURE YOUR DAILY PROGRESS

One of the most basic problems in accurately tracking activity is that the sensing device must be on you 24/7 in a form factor that you won’t forget, lose, or dislike wearing. The UP wristband features a sophisticated motion-tracking engine in an attractive, durable, and water-resistant design that seamlessly and unobtrusively integrates into all your daily activities and errands – in the gym, on the trail, with a cocktail dress or business suit, and even in the shower.

“The MotionX® engine inside the UP band is the result of years of technology development and innovation. MotionX is both extremely accurate and power-efficient, which is critical in delivering a 24/7 product experience small enough to wear,” said Philippe Kahn, CEO and founder of Fullpower, developer of the MotionX technology.

The UP App for iPhone ties the experience together by presenting a complete, holistic view of your health.With the “Me” screen, you can get a quick snapshot of your daily activity, how you are sleeping, and what you are eating, while the “Lifeline” feature reveals all of your prior activities (eat, sleep, move) on a continuous timeline. This unique and powerful interface allows you to see your health activity as it relates to each other over time with a simple swipe of your finger.

UP by Jawbone (wristband + App) helps you measure:

• Activity – The band automatically measures and stores all aspects of your activity: steps, calories burned, distance, pace, and active versus inactive time throughout the day
• Sleep – The UP band’s sophisticated motion engine automatically tracks all aspects of your sleep including hours slept, time to fall asleep, phases of sleep (deep versus light) and overall sleep quality.
• Eat – Capturing your meals in a photo journal is as easy as taking a photo with your iPhone or iPod touch. UP tracks where you’re eating, when you’ve eaten, and even asks how you feel after you’ve had time to digest your meal making it an easy way to identify how different foods affect your body.

ENGAGE WITH YOUR FRIENDS

UP helps you stay engaged in reaching your health goals through a collection of friends and people you choose known as your “Team”. Based on the concept of reciprocal motivation, the Team structure creates an environment where individual achievements can be shared with all members so they can cheer on, motivate or compete against their Team. The Team view gives you a snapshot of how each member is progressing towards their personal goals.

The UP App also features a unique Feed screen which gives you an up to date stream of information about all the things you and your friends are doing with respect to your health.

With respect to sharing information and privacy, UP gives you easy-to-use and complete control over the data you want to share with your Team and others. You choose whether or not you want to share at all, if you want to share some things and not others or if you want to share everything – it is totally up to you.

NUDGED INTO ACTION

Throughout your day, UP subtly nudges you into action. It starts with the silent vibration alarm built into the UP band that wakes you at the best moment in your natural sleep cycle so that you get up feeling as refreshed as possible. Similarly, you can set Get Up and Move reminders that subtly vibrates the UP band to alert you when you’ve been inactive after a time period you specify – it’s an easy way to remember to keep moving.

Another unique feature of the UP system is the notion of health challenges. Challenges are a simple way to discover and learn about health activities. They help you create a personalized plan of action to start living healthier by giving you a number of options to stay engaged and motivated to action. Challenges can be individual, competitive, or collaborative across any combination of the three categories: eat, sleep, and move. Built on an open platform, any member in the UP community can create a challenge for their team. Additionally, UP members can join challenges from an ever-growing list of health professionals and organizations through the UP community.

“We think the magnitude of this health epidemic requires an entire community to affect real change and we are delighted to partner with leading innovators. There are so many great folks working on so many great ideas that we created our system as an open platform enabling health experts to connect with individuals in fun, engaging ways that have never been possible before,” continued Rahman. “We want users to find programs and challenges created by experts that are just right for them.”

Jawbone has teamed up with the DailyFeats and GE Healthymagination to create a variety of challenges UP users can sign up for at launch.

AVAILABLE ON NOVEMBER 6

The UP band comes in three sizes (small, medium, large) and seven colors (Dark Black, Dark Brown, Dark Red, Bright White, Bright Silver, Bright Red, Bright Blue) and will be available for £79.99 at Jawbone.com and Apple retailers from November 17th. From January, it will also be available through O2 both online and in store.

The UP by Jawbone App is available today for free from the App Store on your iPhone. The UP wristband is required for the app.