A prominent French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu argued in one of his works that “space is social”. He says that the physical surroundings of a person shape the societal experiences of the individuals. And indeed he is true, different spaces evoke a range of emotions from anxiety to a sense of peace and safety. Thus designing a space plays an instrumental role in shaping the experiences of the community.
Healthcare designing on the same principles, asks for thoughtful designing of healthcare facilities that cater to the emotional and mental needs of patients along with accessibility and support in physical means. Patient anxiety is a common concern in healthcare settings, often triggered due to myriad reasons such as unfamiliar environments, medical procedures, and bursts of emotions experienced by patients and their families at times of emergency. To address these needs, thoughtful healthcare designs can create environments that help control anxieties and boost a positive atmosphere that brings comfort and well-being to people.
Knowing Patient Anxiety in Healthcare Settings
Various studies have proved that up to the majority of patients experience anxiety before medical procedures. A patient may feel anxiety from multiple factors like fear of the unknown, concerns about privacy and safety, lack of control, monotonous structure of medical facilities, and others. If the mental well-being of a patient is unaddressed can cause and lead to negative health outcomes, for instance, decreased patient satisfaction, problems with blood pressure, etc.
Principles of Thoughtful Design for Anxiety Reduction
A holistic designing approach is required that takes account of the physical, psychological, and emotional needs of patients and their loved ones. Therefore, the designing process should include biophilic designs, efficient lighting placement, sensory consideration, and elements concert privacy and safety of people.
Creating Calm: Incorporating Biophilic Elements
Biophilic designs aim to bridge people with nature in a particular space. The engagement with living flora and fauna creates calming effects and reduces levels of stress among the people in a healthcare facility. It can be achieved through mindful consideration and placement of natural materials, indoor plants, water features, and access to natural light and air in the design process. The Khoo Teck Puat Hospital in Singapore is one of the classic examples of thoughtful healthcare design where lush greenery, water features, and natural light, spaces with serene respite instead of clinical environments for patients and visitors are used as core components of design and structure. Similarly, the Akershus University Hospital in Norway adopts wood and stone materials to fight cold environments and provide a warm and inviting atmosphere.
Lighting Design: Setting the Mood for Comfort
Lighting plays an important role in creating a comfortable, warm, and inviting atmosphere. Proper lighting setup in a diffuse manner helps in creating a sense of cosiness and reduces glare. Natural light stimulates the experience of the patient by improving their mood and enabling faster recovery. Thus careful lighting in a healthcare facility is an important part of thoughtful design. The University of Maryland Medical Center’s Gudelsky Pediatric Inpatient Unit is a prime example of incorporating proper lighting setup in the medical facility. They have a unique lighting design that mimics natural daylight patterns. To enhance a patient’s experience at a medical centre, personalised light control is provided for patients.
Privacy and Security: Balancing Safety with Serenity
One of the primary reasons for anxiety at healthcare facilities is concerns about privacy and security. Thoughtful healthcare design focuses on striking a balance between providing a sense of secure environment and a sense of serenity. Strategic placement of partitions, visual barriers, and noise-insulating materials can be infused in the healthcare setting to create a desired environment for patients. At the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, thoughtful designing helps address the problem of privacy and security through the use of privacy screens and sound-absorbing materials in patients’ rooms.
Sensory Considerations: Sound, Texture, and Aromatherapy
Healthcare environments often create a disturbing atmosphere for individuals due to harsh sounds, clinical textures, and unfamiliar smells contributing to patient stress. Including elements like sound-absorbing materials, soft textures, and calming aromas in healthcare design can help provide more vibrant and multi-sensory experiences for patients.
Designing Spaces that Heal
To best cater to the needs of patients in a holistic manner, thoughtful healthcare design is crucial. An innovative approach in the selection of material type and various elements like biophilic design, careful consideration of lighting, privacy measures, sensory elements, and other things is of utmost importance. Through a holistic approach that includes physical, psychological, and emotional necessities, healthcare designers can design spaces that contribute to wellness and recovery.
References:
- Tovar, E. (2024) Healing Architecture for Care and Recovery: Iconic design with colourful concepts, ArchDaily. Available at: https://www.archdaily.com/1012377/healing-architecture-for-care-and-recovery-iconic-design-with-colorful-concepts (Accessed: 27 April 2024).
- Zohby, A. (2022) Therapeutic architecture: Role of architecture in the healing process – rethinking the future, RTF | Rethinking The Future. Available at: https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/rtf-fresh-perspectives/a597-therapeutic-architecture-role-of-architecture-in-healing-process/#google_vignette (Accessed: 27 April 2024).
- Webmaster (2022) Patient-centred design is changing the perception of healthcare, IA Interior Architects. Available at: https://interiorarchitects.com/patient-centered-design-is-changing-the-perception-of-healthcare/ (Accessed: 27 April 2024).
