Architecture to the Rescue : Metamorphing Built Space for Changing Purposes

Abstract: In December of 2019, the city of Wuhan in China reported an outbreak of a high number of pneumoniacases (Bassareo, 2020). The SARS-CoV-2 Virus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2)started to cause disturbance in societal functions, eventually leading to anomalous infection controlmeasures. Covid-19 was believed to have appeared in Sweden on 31st January and on the 9th ofMarch, it was confirmed in the Stockholm Region (Roden, 2020). Historically, pandemics have struckhumanity numerous times before, yet the virus proved that the modern world was still not prepared. Patients had to be accommodated in hospital corridors, general wards, and makeshift hospitals.Currently, the way of dealing with the virus is to admit patients into negative pressure isolation rooms.Negative pressure isolation rooms eliminate the airborne infectious particles, unlike regular emergencyrooms. Thus isolation rooms within alternative arrangements could offer a bigger space capacitywithout placing the burden on a municipality. Our thesis sheds light on disadvantages within temporary health facility solutions used during theCoronavirus pandemic. The project proposes an alternate strategy for dealing with sudden massdemand of hospital patient beds for quarantine units. This strategy involves a permanent buildingplanning, which is prepared in advance to limit the time for shifting space. In addition, multiple interiorfittings are prefabricated, easy to install as well as transport. By proposing a building with a floor planfor a primary office usage, the building could be transformed for a secondary usage as an infectiousdisease clinic in case of serious health threats to the modern welfare society.