A Children's Hospice -- A Comprehensive Environment for Families Living through a Critical Time

Abstract

Hospice is a concept of caring a philosophy emphasizing quality rather than quantity of life. A residential hospice is a place where patients with terminal disease can go to live their last moments in a supportive environment.

Currently, in the United States, there are no free-standing children's hospices in existence.

This thesis proposes the Hospice as a feature to the Johns Hopkins campus in downtown Baltimore, Maryland. Johns Hopkins prides itself on its history of medical, philosophical innovation and unsurpassed medical talent. This site, with its urban, campus and residential neighborhood elements, will provide a rich dialog between building and site, boundaries and gateways.

An ultimate goal of the Children's Hospice is to assist families in remaining intact, functional and capable of achieving the highest quality of life together in the midst of very extreme circumstances.