THE ANTI-CONFINED
 

The Anti-Confined aims to transform the former Kew lunatic asylum into a physical activity facility. The project reacts against the idea of institutional confinement by providing a highly active site where users are encouraged to freely move between inside and outside.

 

Research suggests that although there are large areas of parks that sit along the river within Kew with great potential for fitness facilities, there is few public fitness facilities available within the area. This means the people who live in Kew do not have adequate fitness facilities to release endorphins and increase mental health. The introduction of fitness into the former asylum site seeks to destroy and readapt the old impression of the lunatic asylum – encouraging people to spend as much time outside as they do inside.

 

Based on the agenda of sports and physical activity the main building program is a large sports centre which begins to address the fundamental lack of fitness facilities in Kew. The sports centre aims to open up and subvert the former asylum architecture to destroy the confined nature of the asylum, while encouraging people to move their bodies more to improve their mental health and that of the community.

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