For many the experience of using modern hospitals is a dismal one, with it often being found that design of healthcare environments has been for practical purposes rather than tailoring it to the human experience (Farr, 2015). When comparing the first means of healthcare to the common medicinal megastructures often seen in modern society, it can be assumed that healing spaces once observed throughout history have been lost due to technological advancements and the inevitability of societal changes. It is evident, that without such advancements and knowledge, healthcare architecture was once entirely influenced by
‘the primacy of the bodily experience, the unbreakable link between body and mind’ (Jones and Meagher, 2015, pp204).
The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines health not as the absence of ill-health but as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being’ (Steemers, 2016), each contributing to healing. The idea that architecture has the ability to aid healing and assist with patient’s physical recovery remains in the early stages of being both scientifically and emotionally explored. With both a debate and an understanding emerging that healing is not merely the process of correct provision of medicines and relieving symptoms, but that a more holistic approach of healing is needed, it can be argued that many examples of healthcare architecture today do not support the patient in this respect.
This research project will explore the centurial evolution of hospital architecture, to understand the shift from spiritual, cultural and holistic hospitals to the modern institutions often experienced today. Investigations into neuroscience and architecture will determine the architectural features and design motives that, if integrated appropriately in hospitals, could assist the healing and recovery process of patients and provide a more positive hospital experience. With the aid of interview and survey results in addition to the exploration of varying modern day healthcare institutions, findings will identify whether healing, therapeutic architecture can co-exist with medicinal and technological installations that hospitals ultimately depend on to heal patients. Further research will highlight the factors preventing healthcare institutions from consistently and effectively focusing on patient experience, avoiding stigma, and creating healing spaces.
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HAYLEY MARCROFT
INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE | NTU
N0495471