Trends

The Cellular Health, Submitted by HDR: This proposal develops a network where patient data is continually monitored and analyzed, informing individuals of how their health is evolving and alerting them if an anomaly is detected by deploying a device to collect further data. That same device could perform small procedures and implement medication if necessary, establishing a patient-centered system where care goes to the patient in a preventive rather than reactionary approach. The system utilizes wearable nanotechnology for the constant monitoring, while the “seed,” or device that provides treatment, is guided by GPS and satellites and uses a color-coded system to communicate if it’s delivering diagnostic, preventive, or interventional care. The “nexus,” a central command center, will then store the data and analyze it to understand how a patient’s health is evolving.

Carpe Mortem, Submitted by DesignGroup: Seeking to empower individuals to take ownership of the environment in which they die, Carpe Mortem is a modular system that can be deployed anywhere a patient wishes and configured specifically for that context—from a living room to the beaches of Fiji. The unit is designed with medical essentials built in and relies on telemedicine and augmented reality, which enable a hospice specialist to instruct families on how to provide care remotely or a local caregiver to assist by locating the unit via GPS. The modules are flexible and scalable and able to be customized to the varying needs and preferences of the patient. However, after death occurs, many of the modular components can be refurbished and deployed as part of a future system, creating a product lifecycle that reduces cost and environmental impact.

Ignite, Submitted by Corgan: As space aviation becomes commercialized, Ignite addresses the new frontiers for healthcare that come with it. The concept proposes a system of spaceports that serve as hubs for specialized healthcare. The idea is that space travel will allow individuals to receive treatment from the most experienced doctors and researchers in the world, with new technologies for personal transportation allowing patients the freedom to move throughout the spaceport without disrupting the healing process. The concept aspires to serve as an arena for research of medical and mental health, as well, focusing on diseases, such as cancer and Alzheimer’s, already being studied in space. Additionally, it leverages microgravity to achieve advances in biological science—for example, cells can be cultured for a longer period of time, rapid aging in orbit means less time is required for experiments, etc.

Mississippi Grace, Submitted by Rozas Ward Architects: This solution seeks a way to deliver healthcare to underserved individuals—specifically residents of an area along the Mississippi River called “Cancer Alley” who have a high risk of developing cancer due to their proximity to nearby industrial facilities. The modular, floating system of care delivery comprises a diagnostics and treatment facility paired with numerous community-based receiving locations along the river corridor. Primary care, testing, physical therapy, and community space are offered within the latter to create a spine for the healthcare system and serve as points where the main Mississippi Grace facility can be docked. Mississippi Grace then houses cancer services including an oncology clinic, imaging, radiation, and infusion, as well as a patient park and library, bringing critical services directly to where patients live.

Decide, Design, Deploy: C-POD, Submitted by HKS: Decide, Design, Deploy offers a solution to community health in a system of pods known as C-PODS (Citizen-Points Of Decision) that provide temporary mobile infrastructure that can be easily set up, operated, and maintained by the citizens who use them. Focusing on three primary purposes, the pods are categorized as Protectors, used for testing and prevention programs; Providers, offering goods or services to the nonmobile or quarantined; and Healers, enabling access to medical and wellness services during a crisis or community emergency. The modules are made of steel frames that can attach/detach from one another, as needed, and are easily customizable. They’re also solar powered to reduce their carbon footprint.

LEGOH: Low-voltage Energy Generating Off-the-grid Healthcare Environment, Submitted by AECOM: LEGOH works to solve traditional healthcare challenges tied to issues including cost and speed of construction, technology, quality, and flexibility. The solution leverages modularity, manufactured components, and a redeployable module system to provide care environments where needed. For example, pods could be set up in an underserved urban environment to improve access to care or outside an existing hospital to expand capacity. Components such as doors, wall panels, and floor slabs would be manufactured at a factory, minimizing field work, while the headwall houses integrated technology supporting everything from artificial intelligence to cameras and sensors to monitor patient vitals. To support its off-the-grid approach, each module is self-sufficient, generating energy from solar cells to power lighting, technology, etc.

Environeers: Breakthrough Medicine in Space, Submitted by Perkins&Will: Projecting that space will soon be a place where humans work, play, and live, this concept presents Vooster Lab, where a team of researchers, astronauts, and subjects can be hosted for space flights of three years. The design of the lab responds to both the physical and mental health risks associated with extended time in space, establishing a system of three community-oriented environments anchored by an axial spine of core functions. Those include a sensory environment that features elements of biophilia, wellness, and privacy; a testing environment, where collaborative translational research takes place to advance medical science; and a disturbance environment that houses varying areas to resolve individual, social, and pathological disturbances.

Haxtun/Saving Main Street, Submitted by HDR: This concept explores the future of rural hospitals and how to prevent them from closing and leaving communities without access to medical care, questioning if a partnership with the bedrock of small towns—the main street—might be the solution. Using Haxtun, Colo., as a site, the design offers a mixed-use destination with health and wellness as the foundation but also generates the population density needed to enliven the town center and foster both economic and social well-being. For example, in addition to medical services, there would be long-term care and a community hall or theater, swimming pool, and basketball courts to attract residents to visit. The approach also uses existing main street structures to reduce redundancy while also returning traditional establishments like a pharmacy and café to downtown.

Well Check, Submitted by RLF: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light the need to verify people’s health in real-time when gathering. The Well Check is a health screening and disinfection treatment network of portable modular devices to help groups come together safely. The portal could be set up at the entrance to a facility like an airport security checkpoint, with mandatory screenings facilitated. Capabilities include a security check for weapons, toxic chemicals, etc.; a health check for temperature, blood pressure, presence of a contagion, etc.; and even treatment that includes emitting antibacterial or antiviral vapor gas and UV purifying light to eliminate contagions on skin and clothes. There’s also a module for individuals who require isolation or transportation for further medical attention.

The Patient Bed: ReMADE, Submitted by Ratcliff: Acknowledging that hospital beds haven’t been substantially improved upon even though holding great potential to help transform patient care, the Ratcliff team conceptualized MADDY—Mobile Assist Diagnostic Designed for You. This patient bed of the future incorporates artificial intelligence and state-of-the-art material science with a design focused on infection control, ease of use for both patients and caregivers, remote reporting, diagnostic and treatment assistance, and adaptability. Specific features include consideration for the aesthetics of the bed by creating a beautiful form and the ability to manage controls via a mobile device. A fabricated structure made of organic matter that mimics human skin wraps the bed, while underneath, the skin is integrated with conductive thread technology that can sense body functions such as temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate.

One Flight Away, Submitted by HDR: This concept looks at the modern airport and the role it might play in the healthcare realm. With millions of U.S. travelers passing through domestic airports each day in normal circumstances, those flights connect with a multitude of global destinations, as well, creating the challenge of containing diseases as well as opportunities to provide diagnosis, prevention, and treatment. One Flight Away proposes a series of solutions within the airport setting, covering each step of the traveler journey. For example, an expanded security screening identifies travelers who pose a health risk and directs them to clinical care spaces, while travelers who are fit to fly next go through a disinfection process. A healthcare component includes clinic modules, support areas, ambulatory care, and limited acute care services, while short-stay rest pods for travelers with layovers can also be converted to negative-pressure patient rooms for biocontainment.

The Big Screen, Submitted by Architects Hawaii Ltd.: Based on an estimate that 80 percent of the U.S. population went to see a movie in 2019 versus only 20 percent who visited a doctor for an annual checkup, The Big Screen sets out to provide a convenient and affordable way to receive medical screenings by combining the two. The idea is centered on a movie theater chair that provides a full-body scan that takes basic vitals, checks for deleterious health conditions, and performs tests. The data collected while patients watch a movie can then be downloaded to mobile devices and reviewed by a care team to manage follow-up.

The Distributed Network Care Facility: Solving Healthcare Access for Rural and Remote Populations, Submitted by David F. Chambers Consultant & Devenney Group: Rural hospitals continue to struggle to remain financially viable as their aging buildings simultaneously become functionally obsolete. To help solve these challenges, this adaptable system of modules could deliver permanent replacements within days or weeks. The modules are scalable and flexible and able to quickly change to patient needs, while a robust telehealth system would be integrated to create networks with providers in urban locations to bring that expertise to rural sites. Design features include container shapes, manufactured elements requiring simple on-site plug-and-play assembly, panelized floors and ceilings allowing for quick connection, and multifunctional structural elements like decking that connects the modules but also provides space for electrical and mechanical needs.