Rehabilitation is the action of restoring someone to health through training and therapy after imprisonment, addictions, injury, and illness. The purpose of rehabilitation is to assist someone to achieve command over all their senses, abilities, and skills that are needed for the healthy functioning of life. Rehabilitation centres work with a structured regime for every patient to help them get back to health.
Rehabs cater to a variety of patients so it should be universally accessible and gives the respective rehab program to each patient as per the use such as drug abuse, trauma, recuperating from injury, etc. Designing a rehab centre includes understanding the character of spaces, requirements, and most importantly the behavioral psychology of the patients.
Below are some guidelines which you can incorporate while designing any rehabilitation centre.
1. Have a Salutogenic approach to design | Rehabilitation Centres
The theory was proposed by Aaron Antonovsky that focuses on the factors that support human health. A Salutogenic approach in architecture is to simulate the natural recovery of health through psychological stimuli. The design should enhance the patient’s manageability, comprehensibility, and meaningfulness of life. It should incorporate good circulation, open spaces, healing gardens, etc.
A salutogenic model applied in designing Credit Valley Hospital Cancer care facilities can be seen by its large open spaces, easy wayfinding, and nature-inspired form.
2. Home away from home
Spaces should be designed with a familiar and homely atmosphere by implementing materials, textures, accessories, and functions which are found in our homes. The atmosphere is beneficial as it is seen as more friendly and gives a holistic experience to the user. It makes the patient comfortable and reduces the social anxiety that comes with new places.
Subtle, calm colors and ample amount of daylight of the Alpha healing center in Gujarat make it feel like home for patients taking drug addiction treatment.
3. Biophilic environment help in the healing process | Rehabilitation Centres
Every human tends to seek nature and other forms of life such as plants, animals, landscapes, etc. The design should incorporate greener spaces as it has a positive effect on patients. It may also have animal-assisted intervention such as spaces designed to attract butterflies, birds, etc.
Example- Khoo Teck Puat Hospital in Singapore has designed healing spaces with roof gardens, cascading greenery, sunken courtyard to make you feel close to nature.
4. Layout of furniture
It plays an important factor in designing a rehabilitation center. The challenge for the architect is to diversify the designed spaces and provide a choice for the patients to decide between social interaction or solitude depending on the circumstances or state of mind.
One Taste Holistic Health Club in China utilizes natural materials such as stone and wood for its interior. It uses niches for private seating and bigger open spaces for social interaction and informal seating layout.
5. Design open-air indoor activity spaces such as courtyards, amphitheaters, etc | Rehabilitation Centres
Courtyards in the Indian context helps in keeping the thermal comfort of the space as well as provide an activity and interaction space for everyone. The spaces must gradually flow from intimate, semi-public then public spaces. Designers must understand the personal and public sphere of patients and work toward the interconnection of it.
Example Muktangan’s amphitheater by Shirish Beri which has an amphitheater in the center of the ward. It enhances the social sphere and gives a protected feeling to the patient where lots of activities can take place without the outside world’s distraction.
6. Focus on the sense of control and manageability by patients
The plan should be easy to navigate and should be patient-friendly. A patient should feel he/she is in control of his environment and life circumstances are very fortifying. The feeling of totally out of control induces anxiety and is disempowering.
Epilepsy residential care home by Atelier Martel is designed with a focus on self-wayfinding and identification of spaces by patients weakened by seizures. The square plan has four courtyards for different functions. The inner corridors have smooth tactile flooring and walls are covered with colorful wool tapestry to give a sense of home and be an identification marker.
7. Create a Sensory experience
The design should incorporate different materials, textures, colors, and spaces which target all five human senses. Reflexology track, healing gardens, water bodies, are some of the examples which benefit different sensory actions.
“A healing Space” designed by 2form architecture is inspired by Japanese design styles. It creates a space that is rejuvenating from the moment you enter. It utilizes organic materials and textures to give a holistic sensory experience of all senses to its patients.
8. Design interactive social spaces | Rehabilitation Centres
Large gathering spaces are needed for educational gatherings, group therapy, and social interaction with family members. The architect should design a variety of exterior and interior social spaces for the patient to use as per their treatment. The interactive environment reduces the feeling of loneliness and fear in the rehabilitation center.
Maggie’s Leeds center by Heatherwick studio explores natural and tactile materials, soft lighting, and a variety of social interaction spaces. Rooftop gardens, multi-level spaces, and diverse seating arrangements give plenty of choice for the patient’s needs.
9. Include modern technology/ simulation areas
Nowadays, with rapid progress in technology, rooms are being designed to enhance the patient’s therapy by giving life simulating virtual experiences. Such rooms sometimes need soundproofing and high ceilings to incorporate the equipment.
For Example, Ottawa Hospital installed state of art virtual simulation screens to help people with a temporary disability to gain strength in walking and social activities.
10. Include different activity spaces | Rehabilitation Centres
Activities such as swimming, gyms, sports facilities should be included in the design so that the patients can entertain themselves in their free time. Rehabilitation is about strengthening the body as well as the spirit of patients through different activities.
- Musholm extension rehabilitation center by AART architects includes a large multipurpose hall with sports facilities for physically disabled people.
- Therapeutic pools designed for La Esperanza School by Fuster + Architects
