Transfusion: Hillbrow Biobank
Date
2012-07-06
Authors
Bawa, Karan
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Abstract
Constant threats and crises incite growth and change in all forms and systems, including spatial environments in our contemporary city. With existing, evolving and new diseases that pose threats to urban populations, contemporary medical research technologies, whether physical or virtual in form, have undergone corresponding transformations that are now being implemented into the existing urban fabric.
As these new, high end technology infrastructures become increasingly relied upon by experts, it depicts a change in habits and beliefs that inevitably demands an adjustment in local perceptions, action and forms of engagement between the city’s inhabitants and these new infrastructures. A biobank is one such infrastructure that primarily uses a blood depository for cutting edge research and is also crucially dependant on an engagement with its local community and context. However, speculations behind new research forms and embedded stigmas of blood are prevalent in local communities such as those in the inner city area of Hillbrow, Johannesburg. Inevitably, a tension will occur between the local community and biobank, which will be manifested in boundaries of all forms. Architecture is a powerful tool that can both address these boundaries and can aid in implementing the biobank through new typologies and spatial systems that include appropriate public and private interfaces. This thesis proposes a redefinition and exploration of a new medical research typology, specifically with new educational spatial environments and systems, that enhances the community’s experience and engineers their awareness to the emerging dependence of genetic-based research and treatment. This should ultimately catalyse a critical transfusion among the city, its inhabitants and their biobank, ensuring that all three are sustained.