The projection of a hospital design, much like any other architectural project, requires deep reflection regarding both layout and material selection. However, after interviewing various healthcare professionals, it appears that history has often overlooked these two vital factors.
In a modern clinical setting, surgical interventions occur before patients are moved to various wards for recovery. Therefore, the building must be a space where hygiene processes are easy to maintain within a safe, accessible, and efficient environment.
1. Focusing on the Primary Users in Hospital Design
Effective hospital design must consider doctors, nursing staff, patients, and visiting relatives. Each group has distinct needs that influence the architectural outcome.
- Patients: Architects often focus on ergonomics within rooms. Nevertheless, depending on the pathology, patients may require areas for walking or resting. Consequently, traffic spaces should be shared comfortably with family members.
- Healthcare Staff: Improving the working environment directly enhances patient care. For example, a circular hospital design can reduce the physical exhaustion and stress experienced by nurses and doctors by shortening walking distances.
- Family Members: Relatives often provide essential support to nursing staff. Therefore, providing rest areas and exterior windows is vital. These windows allow both the caregiver and the patient to distinguish between day and night, maintaining a healthy circadian rhythm.
2. Ensuring Safety and Accessibility
Because of the high volume of people moving through a clinic 24 hours a day, safety is paramount. We must protect patients, staff, medication, and expensive instruments.
Automated Access and Movement
Modern hospital design benefits significantly from home automation. For instance, smart systems can manage secure access to restricted areas for authorised personnel. Additionally, accessibility must be seamless:
- Entrances: Prioritising automated doors prevents surface contact, which is essential for infection control.
- Vertical Circulation: Beyond stairs, ramps and lifts are indispensable. Ramps should have a minimum width of 1.20 m and an inclination between 6% and 10%.
- Corridors: These should maintain a minimum width of 1.80 m. This allows stretchers and wheelchairs to pass each other with ease and fluidity.
3. Selecting Sustainable and “Friendly” Materials
The choice of construction materials influences the physical and psychological recovery of a patient. Scientific evidence suggests that “friendly materials” are superior for healing environments.
Specifically, wood is a warm material that significantly aids recovery. According to Dr Marjut Wallenius, a professor at the University of Tampere, wood has a psychological impact similar to nature. It effectively reduces stress levels in a way that clinical concrete or steel cannot achieve.
In Memory of Carmen Muguruza Cortes
This research into the future of hospital design arose from a conversation with a very special person, Carmen Muguruza Cortes. As a dedicated nurse, her experience shaped these insights. I dedicate this post to her memory as a posthumous tribute to her career and her life.