Centro de Cuidado Paliativo Oncologico "Centro Deisy"

Abstract

This research addresses the loss of the symbolic, sensory, and human dimension within contemporary architecture, proposing design strategies capable of restoring the meaning of inhabiting in contexts of vulnerability. Based on the theoretical approaches of Gottfried Semper, Lucas Arnau Amo, and Gianfranco Fanelli, together with the analysis of the work of Luis Barragán —particularly the Casa Estudio and Casa Gilardi—, three design tools are developed: the platform as a spatial modifier, light as ritual, and cladding and symbolic boundaries. These strategies converge in the concept of the individualization of the domestic ritual, understood as a design approach that integrates materiality, light, and technique in order to restore architecture’s human, emotional, and poetic character. From this conceptual exploration, the research evolves toward the development of a palliative care center, understanding architecture as a medium capable of emotionally supporting the final stages of life. The project seeks to respond to the spatial hostility present in many contemporary care environments by proposing spaces that dignify the experience of inhabiting during moments of physical and emotional fragility. In this way, the individualization of the domestic ritual becomes a fundamental design tool for creating atmospheres of protection, contemplation, and accompaniment, where users may feel recognized, sheltered, and connected to their surroundings until the final moment of life.