A Modern Asklepion - Jenna Koss

In my project, the space at 510 Fifth Avenue in New York City serves as a location where people can go to engage in a systematic ritual providing them with the space and guidance to achieve deep sleep. The first floor serves as the landing ground, a place for preparation and group rest. It contains a reception area, a changing and storage space, and a community courtyard. A person may choose to engage in only this part of the facility or may wish to move on to the second floor to engage in a sequence that guides them to deeper sleep. The second floor is divided into three levels comprising six intertwined bungalows that lead visitors to descend through a series of rituals resulting in rest. These rituals are ordered according to the ancient Greek Asklepions, which emphasize the cleansing that purifies the mind and body. Environmental factors are important to the sequence, exposing visitors first to heat and light, and then leading into spaces that are cooler and darker. By descending through the sequence, a person naturally succumbs to sleep and feels the benefits of a ritual through space. Enter the dream space: modernasklepion.squarespace.com.