MArch(Prof)

Healing Spaces  - Architecture of MedicalFacilities through Salutogenic

Project Location: George, Western Cape

Project Focus Area: Memory, Legacy, and Identity

Supervisor: Johan Swart

Project Intentions

Can architecture heal?

The physical building probably not, but the goal of healing architecture is to engage with patients throughout the process of healing and recovery. Currently there has been a shift in the thinking process around health care facilities, and Covid 19 definitely exposed some major flaws and catapulted the need for innovation in this field. Medical care facilities have for along time been technology and staff orientated, regarding the patients as just another part in a larger process. This is drastically changing with people having many more choices about how and where they want to receive medical treatment. Virtual medical care visits are 38 times more frequent than before the pandemic (Miller, 2022). These patients are less likely to visit physical medical facilities, as they are still experienced as sterile and stressful environments. A high priority currently in healthcare facility design is patient outcomes and overall experience. From the moment the patient walks in at the reception, entering doctors consultation rooms or visit physical rehabilitation centers, the goal is to create an engaging user experience in order to create  comfort and safety. Salutogenic architecture looks at what triggers stress in a patient and introduces wellness factors in order to aid in the healing process. A sense of coherence, or how a person is able to deal with the situation they find themselves in can. Design qualities that can be incorporated into a design in order to reach a sense of coherence for patients are comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness (Dilani, 2008). 

Throughout this dissertation attention is given on what impact the built environment has on patients within medical facilities. By exploring salutogenic principles as theoretical premise the aim is to illustrate how the design of space and use of different elements like light and texture can play a significant role in the healing journey of a patient.  Through the exploration of integration of natural elements this dissertation aims to showcase the possible role architecture can have as facilitator in order to provide patients with a welcoming, stimulating and nurturing environment. This leads to patients returning, referring their friends to the facility and maintaining revenue.