The thesis ”The ambiguous place” focuses on
some particular aspects of life and work - the spirit or the genius of the
place (genius loci) - at Solhøgda psychiatric centre, somewhere in the south of
Norway, and its influence on patient care and healing.
The thesis is based on a field work that took place
over a period of five months. It shows
that the centre is characterized by a good atmosphere where the
constructed/built place and the staff protect the patients. The centre is also a place where the patients find confidence and foothold.
The thesis makes discussions about this atmosphere. The aspect of protection
seems however to contribute towards a further medicalisation of the patients
and to prevents both patients and staff to notice the potential and resources
of the patients. The thesis shows how
the previous history of the place as a tuberculosis sanatorium, and the
psychiatric history, plays a main role in what happens in the institution
today. Some of the staff members and some of the patients are in this work
characterised as carriers of a tradition because they have been at Solhøgda for
a long time. These persons contribute to bring the genius loci further on. The
thesis asserts that if one wants to make changes, you have to enter into a
dialogue with the place both as a historic and a present entity.
The thesis is mainly based
on two different theories. The first is the theory of the Finnish professor and
psychologist Jaakko Seikkula. He understands mental illness mainly as language
constructions. A story about the patient as being mentally ill is told on
Solhøgda by means of the language of the constructed place, and the language of
the medical orientated psychiatry.
The second theory is based
on the works of the Norwegian architect Christian Nordberg-Schulz. His work
guides us towards a phenomenological understanding of places, where both the
material and social life world is a unity in reciprocal interaction. His ideas
focus both on the language of the shape and the basic. The language of the
shape is designed by meeting the structure of the constructed place, while the
basic language is common to all mankind and is owned of all places in all
times. The basic language manifests basic needs for people to dwell. The shape
language at Solhøgda is the language that confirms the patient as ill and
helpless, while the basic language confirms love for the patients. This love is
put on trial by a classifying language of shape.
The intention of the thesis
is to show the impact and influence that psychiatric institutions as
constructed, historic places have on the people who dwell and work in these
places.