Sensuous & sacred architecture as mediators of the psychedelic state

Abstract

Spurred by recent studies that attest to their therapeutic benefits, psychedelic medicine is experiencing a renaissance in scientific and public reception. Founded on indigenous ceremonial practices and the work of pioneering researchers of the twentieth century, today’s psychedelic therapists, guides, and researchers apply the tenets of set & setting by controlling for the influence of mindset and physical context on attaining consistent positive results from psychedelicassisted therapy. On the basis that the ideal setting is not just a visually appealing space, but one that positively engages all the senses, a phenomenological design approach will be employed in the psychedelic-assisted therapy retreat proposed by this thesis. It draws from the sensory richness of its remote, natural surroundings, and maintains that quality within its interiors. Sited in the Lawson Quarry between Espanola and Little Current, Ontario, the retreat would service rural townships which are among the least served by mental health resources.