‘Earthship’ as Model for an Urban Co-op Health Clinic?

Abstract

In Fall 2012, the Patch Adams Free Clinic of Philadelphia building committee (PAFCP) optioned a five acre parcel in a North Philadelphia disadvantaged neighborhood upon which they plan to build a co-operative health clinic offering care based on the ideals of Dr. Patch Adams. The desired building typology is an “earthship.” The committee teamed with the Philadelphia University Architecture Program to explore both the site and prospective clinic. A two semester research and design exploration was completed by students as part of their fourth year comprehensive technical integration design studios. Programming sessions were conducted with the client to determine project goals, program needs and components. Design workshops were conducted with the neighborhood association and interested residents to determine community goals and interests. The charge of the studios was for the students, in groups, to explore and propose designs for an energy efficient, urban co-operative healthclinic. Design research explored the following typological categories: 1) The earthship as an energy model, 2) The earthship as a health clinic model, and 3) The earthship as a community building model. This paper summarizes the student / faculty research and the common approaches found in the seventeen group design solutions. Base-line energy modeling of a typical earthship is compared to a conventional clinic building type and basic student solutions to understand its performance and potential use. Conclusion will present the findings on the viability of this building typology as model for an urban health clinic.