Post-occupancy evaluation (POE) is one of the most common types of research used to inform evidence-based design (EBD). However, while POEs have been part of the design discourse for many years, there are some significant concerns regarding assimilation and implementation in practice.
Integrated project delivery, or IPD, has earned a place among the most buzz-worthy topics in the industry these days. Some love it, some hate it. But few are using it.
While the early collaboration of team members has become more and more visible on projects, not many are taking the deep-dive into contractually shared risk among partners.
Finding a healthy balance between personal care and the demands of a job are a part of every worker’s life. When your job is to care for others and even to save a life, it is easy and often necessary to put your own needs aside in the midst of stressful, demanding situations.
HEALTHCARE DESIGN’s annual Architectural and Interior Design Showcase has always been one of the most exciting projects the editorial team works on each year. Not only does it result in a concise portrait in print of healthcare design and construction in any given 12-month period, but the assembled panel of experts called upon each spring to judge the competition represents some serious brainpower, all together in one room.
Expectations for the Lunder Building—a multifunctional structure smack in the middle of the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston—were high from the start. A good portion of its services needed to be sited underground. Outdoor views had to be maximized. The hospital wanted same-handed, single-bed rooms, procedure rooms, a connection to adjacent buildings, loading dock, and more. And, of course, meeting strict sustainability requirements was a must.
No one can predict the future, but we’re all interested in speculating what it will be like. And the ever-changing nature of healthcare makes it ripe for predictions. Based on a list compiled from conversations with The Center for Health Design’s board of directors, the 2012 HEALTHCARE DESIGN Architectural and Interior Design Showcase jurors were asked what they felt would be the 10 biggest trends affecting the next 10 years of healthcare facility design.
Don't miss HEALTHCARE DESIGN's September 2012 issue, which features this year's Architectural and Interior Design Showcase.
Coverage includes a closer look at the Citation of Merit Winners, insights shared from our panel of jurors, and an in-depth look at what trends emerged from a review of the 2012 submissions—not to mention more than 100 healthcare facility projects to peruse.
For many years, healthcare architects have made intuitive choices as to which design strategies work best. We’ve deployed comforting patient rooms, daylighting, views of gardens, efficient workflow patterns, and thoughtful ergonomics. We’ve known in our hearts that these strategies were useful to improve patient care quality and workplace effectiveness.
Curtain walls and modular building components may not always be immediately associated with interior design, but two of this year’s Architectural and Interior Design Showcase jurors saw these and other new concepts joining some of the more tried and true.
September marks the HEALTHCARE DESIGN Architectural Showcase issue, where design firms compete for a published spot to share new projects that have installed design interventions that improve outcomes. I love this edition, as it is a cross-section of the healthcare design work currently being produced in our industry.
Rural hospitals have always faced their own unique challenges, including restricted access to capital, limited service lines, and difficulties attracting staff. And there may be more on the horizon that's cause for concern.
According to the American Hospital Association, of the 54 million people served by rural hospitals, 9 million are Medicare beneficiaries. It’s a fact that will be paramount in coming months as Medicare cuts loom.
In our last HEALTHCARE DESIGN article, “Research in Practice: Lesson 2—You got a problem?” we discussed why and how to identify and prioritize the challenges facing a facility. Each problem we uncover brings opportunities for design innovations. Now that we can define the problem, it’s important to learn techniques to test these innovations.
