The 2018 PIVOT Fellowship

The 2018 fellow, Evon Calabrese, studied “A Built Environment for Mental Wellness.”

Through her fellowship study, Evon explored the intersection of architecture, psychology, and neuroscience, and how those disciplines can be used with evidence-based design to improve productivity, ease anxiety, and promote wellness in spaces.

As part of her research, she visited facilities in Oregon and California designed specifically for mental health, including a co-housing facility for adults with autism, a special needs school, a psychiatric hospital, and a correctional center. Her case study analysis coupled with a literature review led Evon to develop a guideline for applying design principles for mental wellness to any building type.

Evon holds a Bachelor of Fine Art in Architecture from Massachusetts College of Art and Design and is currently finishing her final year in the MARCH program at the University of Oregon. She plans to continue researching architecture for mental wellness in both professional and academic settings.

To see Evon’s project, click here.

The PIVOT Fellowship is a means of fostering original thought about issues outside the daily routine or obvious future trajectory of our firm’s thought process. PIVOT Architecture selects one fellow per year partially based on the nature of their project proposal. It is a paid position and the term runs from June until September.

The PIVOT Fellowship is open to BARCH, BIARCH, MARCH, and MIARCH students for the summer preceding their final year of study at the University of Oregon. One student is selected following an application process that includes review of the candidates’ proposals for a project of their choice to be executed over the summer of the fellowship.

For more information or to apply for the position, click here.