Yutian Gong, "Healing in Shadow: Addiction Treatment Centre
Shade, shadow and their poetic expression in architecture for health This project is set against the backdrop of Toronto’s growing opioid crisis, where addiction has not only strained public health systems but also exposed the urgent need for spaces that offer both psychological and physical refuge. Inspired by Tanizaki’s In Praise of Shadows, the project critiques the modern architectural tendency to overuse floor-to-ceiling glazing in the name of transparency and daylight. Such designs, while seemingly open and bright, often strip users of privacy and emotional security.
In response, this project embraces shade and shadow as core design strategies. Rather than chasing maximum daylight, it uses calibrated gradients of darkness to spatially organize comfort, intimacy, and protection. By modulating interior light, it establishes zones of privacy that resonate with the sensitive emotional states of those in recovery. This is not merely a treatment centre, but a shadowy sanctuary—a place where patients can heal in dignity, shielded from exposure, and surrounded by the quiet strength of architectural empathy.
Program: Master of Architecture
Advisor: Stephen Verderber