Features of hospital architecture; 10 key points

Features of hospital architecture; 10 key points

Today, hospital design is considered one of the main challenges facing architects. But how do we deal with the complexity of modern hospital design? How can we list the basic and important features in the design of medical spaces? Lists are always interesting to us; Because they offer a set of diverse and precious points in the form of a separate structure. In this article, we will provide tips that we can follow to design an ideal hospital.
It will be very difficult to get points that cover all the necessary aspects. Today, treatment spaces tend to become more complex. In fact, the design of a hospital in today's world depends on considering the needs and expected functions of various groups of people, including patients, families, employees, and managers. However, paying attention to patients and their companions in designing treatment spaces is usually a priority; But it is very difficult to achieve the characteristics that can fully meet their needs. However, regardless of these difficulties, there are definitely design tips and cases that have a positive impact on creating a suitable treatment environment for users. Here are 10 of the most important hospital design features:

1. Architecture and landscaping

Proper design planning for the grounds and architecture of the buildings of a medical complex allows the streets and access to the buildings to be clearer and easier for the audience. In other words, the proper organization of the hospital grounds will lead to better routing of patients due to better reading of the environment. This is the case if the signs and routing in the hospital grounds are disrupted, patients will be confused to access their desired spaces. Therefore, the design of communication routes should be such as to facilitate routing for clients (by vehicle).
Also, the designers' choices in the field of scale, lighting, and materials used in the main entrance of the hospital building, parking, and related medical spaces, will make it better identified by the clients. Also, considering the vertical elements of the identifier or the location of public spaces in the vicinity of the main entrance of the hospital will guide the clients. This point - especially - will be more important at night, which should be addressed by lighting techniques.

2.Welcome visual beauty

A perfect hospital design should take into account the local and cultural personality traits of the institution or hospital. Today, many institutions emphasize the use of welcoming elements in the design of their new hospital building. This is usually done by considering the indoor entrance space, car park by your waiter (Valet Parking), open and transparent lobbies, public spaces as well as the use of warm and natural materials to induce a sense of comfort.
Changing the guard function to a kind of check-in function is another important and influential factor in this field. Also, topics such as works of art and the playing of calm and pleasant music from the lobby speakers are of special importance in creating a welcoming and comfortable personality from the environment upon the arrival of patients in the hospital. The positive point of this issue is in the patients' positive sensory disorders and drawing their attention to issues that take the pain and illness away from them, albeit for a short time.

3. Parking and entrance

Parking is one of the most important concerns for patients upon entering a hospital. Due to the urgency of many medical procedures, this issue should be considered especially in the design. It is recommended that designers and planners use measures to eliminate this anxiety from patients. One of the solutions experienced in this field is the "Valet Parking" system. In this case, after arriving at the hospital, the patient hands over his car switch to special employees who are responsible for picking up and parking his car at a specific location. Of course, despite the decrease in the number of clients who use private cars, the area of ​​parking lots is becoming smaller day by day, and as a result, the importance of this method will increase.

4. Internal routing

In the design of medical spaces, areas such as planning, architecture, interior design, and graphics, establish a special and close relationship with each other. If these areas are well coordinated with each other and properly designed; There will no longer be a need to install a large number of "You Are Here" maps on hospital walls. In this case, even people who experience the hospital atmosphere for the first time will easily find their way.
In this case, the elements of architecture and interior design are organized in a way that reduces the need for excessive use of signs and symbols - which can sometimes lead to disturbances of the senses. Reducing unnecessary signs and symptoms will lead to pleasant and fun spaces. For example, the use of bold colors around the elevator will make it recognizable and used by people. Also, considering collective and recreational spaces for communication between different departments in the design of the hospital - as spatial joints - will lead to better routing of patients.

5. Better waiting space

All of the above applies to the design of the reception desk and the waiting area. Emphasis on the personality of the spaces and utilizing their visual characteristics will be a good strategy in creating and providing routing and readability of the environment for patients. The reception desk is one of the most stressful parts of a hospital. For this reason, we should try to de-stress this environment through design measures. In this regard, measures such as creating a wide horizon, windows and natural light, beautiful artwork, and comfortable furniture will be helpful. Placing the waiting area near the outside environment will be appropriate measures to reduce the anxiety of the patient's family members and also increase the ability to navigate in the environment.

6. Pleasant clinic atmosphere

If the hospital is properly designed, both patients and staff will benefit. Although attention to public spaces and hospital lobbies has always been emphasized and interested by designers, designing treatment spaces for clinics is equally important. The design of treatment rooms and spaces - in which the patient is conscious - as well as injection and blood collection stations from the patient, if combined with factors such as natural light, suitable materials, vision, and beautiful works of art, in the induction of sense Calming the patient and speeding up the treatment process will play an important role.

7. Explicit and implicit environments

Many therapeutic spaces today use the idea of ​​overt and covert spaces. The experience of flawless treatment will definitely come with a range of space needs. The design of the new hospital will not be limited to the separation of service spaces from public spaces; Rather, it is necessary to consider a planning diagram - both horizontally and vertically - and a circulation diagram that allows the separation of spaces and services related to patients and their companions. Patients need spaces and services that are often private - such as elevators and corridors - that should be designed to prevent them from mixing with public spaces.

8. Healthy building = healthy users

In-hospital treatment and healing should play a role in the treatment of patients. Strategies such as not using prohibited materials, air conditioning, and providing clean and filtered air, as well as allowing open space through windows or terraces - in places where this is permitted by design standards - are among the strategies. Are that help to form a healthy building. The purpose of the healthy building theme is to form a deeper look than just the health of patients. In fact, a healthier building will reduce energy consumption and make the planet healthier and thus healthier humans by using the absorption and reuse of the sun's heat, rain, and excess wind in nature.
The importance of hospital design in terms of its role in times of crisis can also be examined. Thus, the hospital is considered an urgent need of the people in times of crisis such as natural disasters or wars and should always be open and available to the public. For this reason, sustainable, self-reliant, and solid design of a hospital building is one of its functional necessities.

9. Personalization and choice

Personalization and respect for the audience will usually be accompanied by an experience of comfort. This will help the patient's family to experience a better visit. But what are the grounds for the patient or hospital client to be able to change it according to their personal tastes?
Things like changing the color and lighting of the rooms, choosing the room from private, semi-private, or public modes for operations such as injections and dialysis, choosing the taste of music or artwork in the room, choosing the view of the surrounding window City and nature and… are among the choices that design provides to patients and hospital audiences. When patients have a sense of choice in their surroundings, this will result in them being considered as mastering the environment and controlling the situation around them - during treatment or visiting - and will undoubtedly accelerate their treatment process.

10. Dignified chase

Hospital design should have a plan and scenario for all stages of a patient's presence in the hospital. One of the points that should be considered in the design of the hospital is how to ensure a dignified and appropriate discharge from the hospital. Patients still need help when they are discharged from the hospital, despite the completion of the treatment process.
In this regard, it is better to use private and comfortable corridors - not public corridors - for clearance. It is also necessary to provide facilities such as wheelchairs and canes for people with disabilities near the place of discharge. On the other hand, the patient's companions should have easy access to the financial manager and other administrative departments necessary to go through the discharge process. Observing such cases in the design of the hospital will undoubtedly lead to a pleasant discharge from the hospital and the beginning of a recovery period after treatment.
As designers, we need to consider these 10 issues in the serious matter of hospital design. By observing these cases, the patient-centered design will prevail in the hospital environment and the different needs of patients, their companions, as well as employees and managers will be guaranteed.