{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/137801"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/137801","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Vieques Cancer Treatment Center: Applying evidence-based design strategies","abstract":"After enduring decades of mistreatment and abuse, the people of Vieques, Puerto Rico were freed from the U.S. Navy's testing through 2/3 of their land in the early 2000's. Unfortunately, after years of contamination, the Viequenses started suffering the consequences. In response to their current living conditions, my thesis studies the possibility of designing a cancer center for the Viequenses. This cancer center's design is geared towards creating medicinal architecture through evidence-based design by applying a series of factors like natural lighting, ventilation, performance, efficiency, and comfort, all being complimented by stunning tropical views. All this while taking advantage of an impacted site from a previous building to preserve any dense vegetation that surrounds the area and working with the existing topographical conditions to limit any further impacts. Essentially, this proposal compliments any current conditions found in the site which in turn becomes a facility that does not imitate a typical clinic; its focus is to make the user feel at home. Benefitting the patient's health through a healthy building.","abstract_html":"After enduring decades of mistreatment and abuse, the people of Vieques, Puerto Rico were freed from the U.S. Navy's testing through 2/3 of their land in the early 2000's. Unfortunately, after years of contamination, the Viequenses started suffering the consequences. In response to their current living conditions, my thesis studies the possibility of designing a cancer center for the Viequenses. This cancer center's design is geared towards creating medicinal architecture through evidence-based design by applying a series of factors like natural lighting, ventilation, performance, efficiency, and comfort, all being complimented by stunning tropical views. All this while taking advantage of an impacted site from a previous building to preserve any dense vegetation that surrounds the area and working with the existing topographical conditions to limit any further impacts. Essentially, this proposal compliments any current conditions found in the site which in turn becomes a facility that does not imitate a typical clinic; its focus is to make the user feel at home. Benefitting the patient's health through a healthy building.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Merced Velasco, Yan Louis"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Architecture","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Architecture","degree_department":"Architecture","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Piedmont-Palladino, Susan C."],"committee_members":["Kelsch, Paul J.","Archer, Scott Brandon"],"year":2025,"date_issued":"2025-09-18","date_published":"2025-09-18","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:15Z","subjects":["Architecture","Healthcare","Hospitality","Cancer Center","Cancer Patients","Vieques","Puerto Rico"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:44512"],"render_values":[{"text":"vt_gsexam:44512","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/10919/137801","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Piedmont-Palladino, Susan C."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Kelsch, Paul J.","Archer, Scott Brandon"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Architecture"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Merced Velasco, Yan Louis"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2025-09-19T08:00:32Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2025-09-19T08:00:32Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2025-09-18"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Architecture"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Architecture"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Architecture","Healthcare","Hospitality","Cancer Center","Cancer Patients","Vieques","Puerto Rico"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:44512"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/10919/137801"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["After enduring decades of mistreatment and abuse, the people of Vieques, Puerto Rico were freed from the U.S. Navy's testing through 2/3 of their land in the early 2000's. Unfortunately, after years of contamination, the Viequenses started suffering the consequences. In response to their current living conditions, my thesis studies the possibility of designing a cancer center for the Viequenses. This cancer center's design is geared towards creating medicinal architecture through evidence-based design by applying a series of factors like natural lighting, ventilation, performance, efficiency, and comfort, all being complimented by stunning tropical views. All this while taking advantage of an impacted site from a previous building to preserve any dense vegetation that surrounds the area and working with the existing topographical conditions to limit any further impacts. Essentially, this proposal compliments any current conditions found in the site which in turn becomes a facility that does not imitate a typical clinic; its focus is to make the user feel at home. Benefitting the patient's health through a healthy building."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstractgeneral","label":"General Abstract","values":["Vieques is a satellite island part of Puerto Rico's archipelago with a population of roughly 8,000 people, who are mostly employed by the government. Ever since World War 2, most of the island's land was used as one of the Navy's equipment testing sites until the early 2000's when the local community was fueled in uproar after getting tired of the Navy's wrongdoings. After 20 years of the Navy's expulsion from Vieques, the local population is still suffering from the consequences of the contamination left from these tests; cancer being one of the most common diseases that locals are suffering from. Vieques currently has no facilities to treat these illnesses and Viequenses having to travel hours during every trip to the main island of Puerto Rico for any kind of treatment. The Vieques Cancer Treatment Center is a facility that treats its patients for cancer through chemotherapy and radiation while also providing short-term and long-term recovery spaces and housing. Likewise, this proposal also focuses on the staff's experience by providing comfortable spaces for them too. This proposed facility embodies medicinal architecture, which prioritizes clean air, large fenestrations, promote productivity and relationships between patients and staff. Essentially achieving healthy users by providing them with a healthy building, further benefiting their recovery process."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Architecture"]},{"key":"dc:format.medium","label":"Dc Format Medium","values":["ETD"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Vieques Cancer Treatment Center: Applying evidence-based design strategies"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Piedmont-Palladino, Susan C."],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Kelsch, Paul J.","Archer, Scott Brandon"],"dc:contributor.department":["Architecture"],"dc:creator":["Merced Velasco, Yan Louis"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2025-09-19T08:00:32Z"],"dc:date.available":["2025-09-19T08:00:32Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2025-09-18"],"dc:description.abstract":["After enduring decades of mistreatment and abuse, the people of Vieques, Puerto Rico were freed from the U.S. Navy's testing through 2/3 of their land in the early 2000's. Unfortunately, after years of contamination, the Viequenses started suffering the consequences. In response to their current living conditions, my thesis studies the possibility of designing a cancer center for the Viequenses. This cancer center's design is geared towards creating medicinal architecture through evidence-based design by applying a series of factors like natural lighting, ventilation, performance, efficiency, and comfort, all being complimented by stunning tropical views. All this while taking advantage of an impacted site from a previous building to preserve any dense vegetation that surrounds the area and working with the existing topographical conditions to limit any further impacts. Essentially, this proposal compliments any current conditions found in the site which in turn becomes a facility that does not imitate a typical clinic; its focus is to make the user feel at home. Benefitting the patient's health through a healthy building."],"dc:description.abstractgeneral":["Vieques is a satellite island part of Puerto Rico's archipelago with a population of roughly 8,000 people, who are mostly employed by the government. Ever since World War 2, most of the island's land was used as one of the Navy's equipment testing sites until the early 2000's when the local community was fueled in uproar after getting tired of the Navy's wrongdoings. After 20 years of the Navy's expulsion from Vieques, the local population is still suffering from the consequences of the contamination left from these tests; cancer being one of the most common diseases that locals are suffering from. Vieques currently has no facilities to treat these illnesses and Viequenses having to travel hours during every trip to the main island of Puerto Rico for any kind of treatment. The Vieques Cancer Treatment Center is a facility that treats its patients for cancer through chemotherapy and radiation while also providing short-term and long-term recovery spaces and housing. Likewise, this proposal also focuses on the staff's experience by providing comfortable spaces for them too. This proposed facility embodies medicinal architecture, which prioritizes clean air, large fenestrations, promote productivity and relationships between patients and staff. Essentially achieving healthy users by providing them with a healthy building, further benefiting their recovery process."],"dc:description.degree":["Master of Architecture"],"dc:format.medium":["ETD"],"dc:identifier.other":["vt_gsexam:44512"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/10919/137801"],"dc:language.iso":["en"],"dc:publisher":["Virginia Tech"],"dc:rights":["In Copyright"],"dc:rights.uri":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dc:subject":["Architecture","Healthcare","Hospitality","Cancer Center","Cancer Patients","Vieques","Puerto Rico"],"dc:title":["Vieques Cancer Treatment Center: Applying evidence-based design strategies"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Architecture"],"thesis:degree_level":["masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Architecture"],"thesis:institution_name":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:15Z"}