Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Worcester State Hospital Clock Tower, Take II

Below is a re-post of a comment I made to my original post on the subject on 3/6/12:

The symbolic opportunities that come with incorporating ruins into the clock tower monument intrigue me. A symbol of our collective failure to save the entire structure (this in itself is an important chapter in the history of this building). A symbol of our society's ongoing struggle to treat those with mental illness, the ruins themselves reflecting its history and symbolizing, together with the new buildings behind, our ongoing battle to help all who struggle with mental illness to become productive members of society. I really like the idea of somehow incorporating the clock tower and the ruins into some sort of "reflecting garden" dedicated to those that have battled mental illness. Ideally we would incorporate the natural environment, itself a symbol of healing, hope and renewal, into this garden of ruins. The interplay of the built and natural environment would make for a unique and special place.
New DMH Hospital_Architects rendering
from MA HHS Blog


No comments:

Post a Comment