Architecture and Mental Health: a Journey of Care, Memory, and Narration across Past, Present, and Future.

The image illustrates a conceptual diagram tracing the evolution of architectures related to mental health, from segregative institutions to spaces open to society, such as the “museums of the mind,” capable of preserving and conveying the memory of the place. Based on Franco Basaglia’s paradigm - according to which the person in psychological distress becomes an active subject of their own care - the study highlights contemporary architectures featuring threshold-spaces that foster relationships, inclusion, and expression, and examines projects and case studies in which care, memory, and narration coexist within the same architectural contexts. Together, these elements outline a future scenario in which architecture assumes a social and cultural role, offering new perspectives for reactivation and transformation. As part of the Research Postcards section, it functions not simply as an illustration of the research, but as a visual fragment capable of communicating its questions, processes, and critical perspectives beyond conventional academic formats.