Bodies, Sovereignty, and Hysteria

Body (/ˈbädē/) - the physical structure of a person 

Sovereignty (/ˈsäv(ə)rən(t)ē/) - supreme power or authority 

Hysteria (həˈsterēə/) -  exaggerated or uncontrollable emotion. Coined from medical Latin from the Greek noun “hystera” for womb or as a medical condition that exclusively impacts women.

In response to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, this project explores the design of an abortion clinic in Houston, Texas, leveraging the legal sovereignty of consulates. By situating the clinic within a consulate, the facility could operate under the laws of its home country, bypassing local restrictions.

The program hybridizes a Norwegian consulate and an abortion clinic. The building’s hyper-transparent and rigidly perpendicular envelope draws inspiration from modernist aesthetics, including Mies van der Rohe and Le Corbusier. The consulate adheres to the strict grid, occupying the building’s perimeter, while the clinic disrupts this structure with a curvilinear, labyrinthine form that weaves through and challenges the rigid framework.

The building's transparency conveys confidence and a sense of being unapologetic. However, the clinic program requires privacy. To address this, monumental layered curtains follow the clinic's curvilinear design, forming thick, semi-opaque walls that enclose and protect the clinic spaces.

The unorthodox labyrinthine design enhances security by restricting access to the central procedure rooms to those familiar with the circulation. Movable curtains in select areas further adapt the internal layout, enabling circulation to be reconfigured in the event of a raid."