Lecture on the Evolution of Asylum Architecture

Introduction

• Discussion on the global phenomenon of asylum design and architecture.
• Focus on the contrast between external and internal aspects of asylums over several generations.

Early Asylums

• Initial Ideals: Asylums were idealized by advocates as humane accommodations for dependents.
• Architectural Features:
  • Constructed to be impressive and beautiful externally.
  • Included imposing elements like big towers and facades.
  • Aimed to make a significant impression.

Internal vs. External Beauty

• Early asylums had aspirations for home-like quarters.
• Tied to the ideology of moral treatment, which persisted until around 1880.
• Over time, the internal aspects became less culturally normative and more bare.

Changes Over Time

• Shift in Ideology:
  • Described as a 'materialization of mindset'.
  • Shift in worldview influenced changes inside asylums.
• Clientele Changes:
  • New populations, including many immigrants.
  • Immigrants were often disoriented and rootless, leading to higher rates of disorder or abandonment.
• This demographic shift contributed to the discrepancy between external grandeur and internal austerity.

Later Developments

• Changes in External Design:
  • External ideals evolved to reflect internal realities more closely.
  • Buildings became plainer and more modernistic.
  • Less emphasis on external beauty; more boxy and functional designs resembling Bauhaus style.

Conclusion

• Evolution from grandeur to functionality in asylum architecture.
• Reflections on societal and demographic changes influencing design and function.