In 1962, acclaimed architect, Paul Rudolph, began design work on the Erich Lindemann Mental Health Center, one of two buildings that comprise the Government Service Center in Boston. The entire complex occupies a superblock on the lowest slope of Beacon Hill in Boston’s historic West End. Construction began in 1966 and ceased in 1971. The building remains unfinished; the full design was never realized.
Rudolph believed that “[a]rchitecture is used space formed for psychological and symbolical reasons.” With the Lindemann Center, he had hoped to create an environment that would reflect the interior mental states of patients suffering from Alzheimer’s, dementia, and schizophrenia. With a romanticized view of mental illness, Rudolph made the building “insane” in order to express the insanity within.
In the winter of 2014, I started photographing and interviewing the residents of the Lindemann Center. I’m interested in documenting the people living within the walls of Rudolph’s creation. While I believe the design of the building was based on a misinformed, stereotypical understanding of mental illness, my primary purpose is not to criticize the architect or design. My intention is to raise awareness of both the building and the broader issues and misconceptions surrounding mental health. My hope is to inform, educate the public, and destigmatize those suffering from mental illness.
The people of the Lindemann Center have had a profound impact on my own life. Spending consistent and extended time with them has changed my own perception of mental illness. Through this project, I intend to give back at least some of what they’ve given me. Through my photography and writing, I aspire to give them a collective voice.
My goal is to create a book and a public exhibition at the completion of this project. An integral part of both will be to incorporate their personal stories among the images. My dream is that awareness from this project will contribute to a reimagining of the Lindemann Center into a healthier and more restorative environment for those suffering from mental illness.
