Shinjuku 'Living Health Room': The Design and Power of a 'Place' Where Care is Born
The other day, I was blessed with the opportunity to visit the 'Living Health Room' in Toyama Heights, Shinjuku, which I had long dreamed of seeing. This is the place where the first 'Living Health Room' in Japan was created—a place that could be called a sacred site.
The thoughts leading up to my visit
Looking back two years, I was driven by a strong desire: 'I want to go out into the community and listen to the raw voices of the people living there. I want to create a space where everyone can be their natural selves, without the barriers between those who provide care and those who receive it.'
What exactly is the design of communication, and the design of a 'place,' that allows the boundaries between people to gently dissolve and naturally encourages conversation?
It was during this search that I encountered the books by Masako Akiyama, the founder of the Living Health Room. I was deeply moved by her philosophy and practice, and I started my own trial-and-error activities for the 'Hakodate Living Health Room' in my hometown. Since I had been wishing to visit the original Shinjuku location someday, this visit was an unexpected joy.
The breath of the space that photos cannot convey
The 'Living Health Room' I stepped into was completely different from the impression I had from photos; it was a truly comfortable space that seemed to gently embrace those who visited.
Every part of it was filled with meticulous details that were carefully calculated, yet designed so that you wouldn't even notice them.
A tatami space with a sense of warmth
Ceiling height that does not create a sense of oppression
Indirect lighting that softly illuminates the space
The way the doors open and close to appropriately convey the presence of others
The angle of the partitions that gently block the line of sight and create a sense of security
The way the calm sunlight enters to soothe the heart
I could feel firsthand that each and every one of these elements was designed to relax the hearts of the people there.
The background of the birth of the 'Living Health Room' and the encounter with Maggie's
During the tour, I was also able to hear from Ms. Akiyama about the time of its opening and the social issues that formed its background.
Akiyama-san and her colleagues began their activities at a time when the concept of visiting nursing had not yet fully permeated society. Subsequently, major changes in the medical system occurred, such as advancements in cancer treatment and the introduction of the DPC (Diagnosis Procedure Combination) payment system. As a result, a situation emerged where patients received as much treatment as possible in hospitals, and when that became difficult, they were suddenly 'sent home' without fully understanding their own situation. This created a significant 'information asymmetry' between patients and medical professionals.
And visiting nurses, standing at the forefront of that gap, were exhausted, busy dealing with patients crushed by the sudden reality and families in confusion. It is said that such a harsh reality existed.
It was amidst a strong desire to do something about this situation and to bridge the gap that had formed between medical care and daily life that Akiyama-san encountered the activities of the 'Maggie's Centres' originating in the UK. Wishing to one day realize this wonderful initiative in Japan, the dots of various people and opportunities were connected into a line, cooperation with the administration was realized, and the 'Living Health Room' was opened in a corner of this housing complex in Shinjuku. And that activity later led to the opening of 'Maggie's Tokyo'.
Here, for those who are learning about the 'Living Health Room' and 'Maggie's Tokyo' for the first time, I will briefly introduce them.
What is the Living Health Room?
What is Maggie's Tokyo?
The Importance of Spatial Design: Construction Conditions for Maggie's
In particular, the philosophy of Maggie's Centres was very suggestive in that it deeply understands the influence that space has on the human heart. When building a Maggie's Centre, it is said that there are the following architectural philosophies and conditions.
There must be a large kitchen table in the center of the building where everyone can naturally gather.
There must be a place that gives warmth to the human heart, such as a fireplace.
There must be a garden that calms the mind and allows one to feel a connection with nature.
It must be a human-scale (cozy) building that does not give an intimidating impression.
There must be small private rooms where privacy is protected and one can talk with peace of mind.
The building itself must be beautiful and designed to support the dignity of those who visit.
I understood that this is very important for designing a space. It is not just functional, but 'mechanisms' to accompany human emotions and dignity, and to naturally generate a sense of security and dialogue, are intentionally incorporated from the architectural stage.
Reflection: The Power to Nurture 'Health'
What left the deepest impression on me during this visit was not only the effect brought about by the power of the space, but also the warm and calm atmosphere created by Ms. Akiyama and the rest of the staff.
Despite it being my first time meeting them and my first time visiting, I felt completely at ease and found myself talking about my own thoughts quite naturally. To use a Hokkaido expression, I was in a state of 'shaberasatteta' (compelled to speak). (*'Shaberasaru' is a Hokkaido dialect nuance meaning that words come out naturally without intention.)
Reflecting on this experience and considering its essence once more, I feel it can be summarized by the following words.
While taking a bird's-eye view and analyzing things calmly, one must also engage with sincerity within a designed space. That 'margin' dissolves the boundaries between patients and medicine, and between the private and public sectors.
I realized that the 'Living Health Room' is truly a mechanism for filling in or dissolving these 'margins.' And that is the very process of embodying the 'six functions of the Living Health Room' that are officially stated.
[The Six Functions of the Living Health Room]
Wellness Support Function: Supporting residents' health promotion through health education and long-term care prevention programs.
Multi-generational Exchange Function: Providing a place where various generations, from children to the elderly, can gather and interact.
Coordination and Adjustment Function: Collaborating with local medical, nursing, and welfare organizations to build a comprehensive support system.
Human Resource Development Function: Cultivating local volunteers and professionals, and creating opportunities for them to play an active role.
Information Dissemination Function: Sharing local health issues and activity details to raise awareness throughout the community.
These functions do not exist individually; they are organically connected by the comfortable space and the warm communication of the staff. As a result, I felt that the people who visited were not just finding clues to solve their problems, but were gaining something even greater.
And I felt that the effect brought about by Ms. Akiyama and her team was, beyond the practice of these six functions, 'health (well-being)' in a broader sense itself.
Restoring the power to find meaning in difficult situations and deal with them proactively—that is, the Sense of Coherence (SOC). This does not simply mean regaining medical health (Health), such as being cured of an illness. Even if one has an illness or disability, one can live in their own way and with conviction. This place powerfully supports the process of re-acquiring 'health' in that broader sense.
With this valuable experience as fuel, I am renewing my determination to further deepen my own activities at the 'Hakodate Living Health Room'.
