Contract Magazine - January 2020 - 121

"This project takes a taboo subject like suicide and dissects its aspects, removing the stigma,
to challenge the thoughts of others and to open society up to new levels of understanding."
-Christopher Ogren, Savannah College of Art and Design

Dignitas is a Switzerland-based nonprofit society that provides assisted
suicide to its members with terminal or severe physical or mental illnesses.
While assisted suicide is a hotly debated issue, Dignitas' operations are permitted
under Swiss law, which allows for providing the means to commit suicide as long
as the reasons for doing so are not selfishly motivated. Inspired by a letter written
to the organization that detailed how a particular patient wished he had known
of a program that would give him the ability to be heard and understood,
Christopher Ogren-who graduated from Savannah College of Art and Design
in June 2019 with an interior design degree-set out to design the St. Gallen
Center for Assisted Suicide.
"I was interested in this company because of their belief in exploring every
possible option before proceeding with an assisted suicide," Ogren says. "Eightyseven percent of patients approved for this procedure never follow through with
it. There is more of a desire for control and understanding than there is for a desire
to end one's life." Moved by Dignitas' philosophy and research, Ogren designed
every aspect of the center with the goal to give the patient full control over his or
her situation. There are multiple levels of therapy, dedicated spaces for the patients'
loved ones, and the opportunity for patients to consider whether or not they
wish to proceed at each stage.
"Most people would envision a center for assisted suicide as bright, full of color,
and designed to persuade happiness," Ogren says. "However, research says that
patients in these critical conditions are very sensitive to bright color and lighting."
Ogren's vision was to create a space that would exude serenity and warmth. "It was
important for the users to have a feeling of complete comfort and relaxation," he
says. "This is how the mind can be completely cleared, and how the best decisions
can be made."
The resulting design features a muted palette, starting with the reception
area, which was meant to mimic waves, where earth tones flow through to the
atrium behind the welcome desk. Lighting throughout the center provides a warm,

nondirectional glow, and the main spaces are filled with wild plant life to promote
well-being and to comfort the space's visitors.
A standout design element is the circular opening that connects all three
levels of the facility. This was meant to symbolize eternity, having no beginning
and no ending. Functionally, it establishes the core of the space, with all circulation
occurring in the primary corridor, bringing users to an airy area filled with wild flora
and warmth, and all of the programmatic spaces flowing from the central volume.
Dignitas provides a service for assisted suicide, but there is currently
no center for patients and families to connect and reflect. The 15-day program
at St. Gallen goes beyond the traditional methods of therapy, with a spiritual
practice space, physical rehabilitation, medical treatment, and communal therapy
opportunities that allow patients to engage and share experiences.
"This project takes a taboo subject like suicide and dissects its aspects,
removing the stigma, to challenge the thoughts of others and to open society
up to new levels of understanding," Ogren says. "As designers, we have the ability
to influence the masses, and it is our job to constantly explore things from new
angles to find solutions to problems that others may not see." -LAUREN VOLKER

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Contract Magazine - January 2020

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