Ledo Hotel Restoration

2019, Masters Thesis project, Sudbury, Ontario.

In trying to decide whether theory and practice should be amalgamated, a lot of people fail to account for the fact that this debate is the luxury of those mainly unaffected by the factors outside of architecture that define its social structure. Critical theory as it pertains to feminism is necessary because of the disparity of violence faced by women in society both historically and currently; Many of these sites of violence are mundane until a person is forced to confront it consciously after an assault.

This brings up the question of what architecture can do to prevent such assault and how an architecture or typology may start to form for the rehabilitation of survivors. Through addressing the failures of the current typologies for sexual assault preventative design, this thesis aimed to uncover opportunities for modifying already-existing architectural styles to have safer qualities for assault prevention. It also aimed to find ways to educate the public in hopes that it could evolve the community past sexual shame and lessen sex related crimes. I believe that by exploration & consideration of the connections between design and sexual safety, we may be able to create a more open conversation about sexual
violence and a safer community.

The Old Hotel

Concepts & Process

This collection of pages and collages reflect the exploration of my design concepts. The process began with an exploration of body therapy through materiality and taking into account the ways in which people can connect with their bodies for self-care and paying more close attention. I carved pieces of soap to cleanse specific body parts according to their shapes. This led to the decision for me to use soapstone, a soft stone that erodes more easily than most. This is the material that was chosen for the bathhouse in the space. Following that, I explored how different bodies take up the same space and how we can stray from a fixed vitruvian model for design and be more inclusive of multiple body types and physical abilities. Next, I conducted some research into the typology of places with similar programming to my proposed concept of therapy. After choosing a site based on accessibility and community impact, I decided to explore ways to illuminate a previously dark and secretive environment while still working on ways to give some privacy to its new users.

Significant Materials

BRICKS: Repurposed material from the space. Greenhouse flooring will recycle and darken bricks from the old hotel for thermal massing.

CONCRETE: Floor material in all spaces except the greenhouse.

DARK UNPOLISHED SOAPSTONE: Soft stone which slowly erodes over time with use. It allows the users to see their impact on the space over time.

ALABASTER: Translucent finish for maximizing light moving in the space. Used mainly on the bridges that connect North and south sections of each floor.