Five Watermarks: Five Design Interventions on the Ottawa Civic Hospital that Explore the Potential for Water and Architecture to Assist in Inhabitant Well-Being

Five Watermarks explores the question of ‘healing’ in the built healthcare environment, and in particular asks what role the incorporation of water can play in increasing inhabitant well-being. The primary role of healthcare architecture is to house technological tools and medical professionals. This project searches for ways in which architecture can be further integrated into the healing process. Through the design of five “Watermarks” (water-centralized design interventions) on the Ottawa Civic Hospital, the influence of water on atmosphere and environment is explored. The interventions incorporate water as either a natural building material or a filtered substance for cleanliness, while investigating concepts of dream, wayfinding, hygiene, tranquility and contemplation, through space and matter. Five Watermarks studies water’s capacity to deconstruct the boundaries between the self and the environment and to unify the conditions of space, life and well-being.