In recent years, evidence-based design (EBD) has taught us that nature contributes to healing, colors can affect mood, and sound can contribute to stress. In the healthcare environment, aesthetics have greatly improved over the last 20 years. However, I still...
Healthcare design does not naturally lend itself to the comforts of home. As I have mentioned in previous blogs, much of my own design work has focused on finding elements that evoke home and a sense of well-being. Pleasant distractions in a welcoming environment can...
As a member of a design team that recently completed an award-winning hospital chapel in Tacoma, Washington, it really brought to life for me how these sacred spaces are utilized by the community of patients and staff. The diversity of the people who use these spaces...
Interactive Design Process, Collaborative Design Approach, Integrated Project Delivery, BIM, 3P, and Lean production process … so many new terms in the world of design and construction. What does it all mean? How will it affect and change my business that I’ve been...
One of the most frustrating aspects of construction is the time it takes to complete a building. The parts and processes that comprise healthcare construction—buyout, subcontractor mobilization, manual labor with tools and machinery—are pretty much constants, which means there is very little opportunity to shorten the process. Without a significant way to shorten construction, costs will be fixed in a relative way. It could be argued that without innovation in the construction process, there is a ceiling on productivity increases over time.
An interesting survey came to our attention in the HEALTHCARE DESIGN office. Angie's List, a company that collects consumer reviews of local service businesses for a fee, has released the results of a recent poll for the Least Complained About Companies and the Most...
The healthcare environment sometimes becomes a place for residency. Whether it is just for a brief tenure, or to fulfill long-term needs, the healthcare environment can become much more than just a place for healing—it can develop into a home.In the residential...
St. Anthony Central Hospital, Denver, Colorado, fits in with that description. About 10 years ago, St.
IMAGES COURTESY OF CO ARCHITECTS
Queen of the Valley Medical Center (QVMC), the largest healthcare facility in California's famed Napa Valley, is an exemplary synthesis of the most advanced healthcare design initiatives in place today: evidence-based design (EBD), Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), and Building Information Modeling (BIM).
A couple of articles I worked on recently for this publication and for its sister publication, Healthcare Building Ideas, raised a question for me: What do American hospitals have against operable windows?
Wayfinding may be considered by some as one of the major causes of stress during one's healthcare experience. Finding a place to park, getting to the main entrance, figuring out where a department or office is, and then worrying about being late for an appointment are all issues that many patients face.
