As the Managing Partner of ZGF Architects, Sharron van der Meulen manages a firm of 750 people across seven offices in the U.S. and Canada.
With the healthcare industry still recovering from the global pandemic and dealing with practitioner burnout and labor and supply shortages, many hospitals and healthcare systems are strengthening their focus on person-centered care, prioritizing both patient and caregiver well-being. This emphasis is connected with the rise in mental and behavioral health struggles endured by many Americans. Kids and teens are especially affected, but many communities have little to no access to adequate care. Maternal health, too, is facing challenges, with U.S. maternal mortality rates higher than any other high-income nation.
One strategy that can help move the needle in a positive direction lies within the architecture and interior design of healthcare facilities and spaces. As managing partner of a design firm and as a designer who has focused on healthcare environments for over a decade, I have seen how well-designed spaces can play a big role in serving individual patients and their caregivers, supporting healthcare practitioners and staff, and ultimately strengthening whole communities.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution, however. There are many situations and conditions within the health spectrum. Here are a few impactful design strategies to consider:
1. Design for people.
Safety, security, durability, function and cleanliness are all critical for healthcare environments, but these can be achieved without being cold and institutional. Patient-centric facilities should be designed to treat the person—the whole person—not a condition or its symptoms. This means helping patients feel human and using design elements that normalize and destigmatize. Aim to create a bright and airy sense of openness and optimism without sacrificing security or privacy.
In addition to patient care, it’s also important to design for caregiving teams. By understanding and designing around staff workflows, you can help optimize operations and productivity, ensure safety and reduce stress. I recommend dedicating space exclusively for the needs of the caregiving team, such as private lounges, outdoor terraces, locker rooms, lactation rooms and a respite area on every floor.
2. Design for connection.
Health struggles can feel isolating, so create communal spaces such as lounges, dining areas and other group rooms to help people come together and realize they’re not alone. These spaces should feel supportive and therapeutic, like a warm residential setting—not isolating or restricting. I’ve found this to be especially important in rural areas with small, close-knit communities, where you need to acknowledge the culture of the people who are being cared for. All of this can help shift the mentality from, “How do we take care of this person?” to, “How do we take care of this community?”
For example, we worked with a new hospital in Texas, focused solely on women’s and children’s health, to give patients a warm, residential aesthetic. Abundant natural light and views of nature, private patient rooms, and ample space for families helped convey a sense of empathy and compassion. Spaces were designed to prioritize the health and safety of mothers and babies, as well as families’ privacy, dignity and respite. Design aspects like these can help you not only confront difficult issues like maternal health and infant mortality but also demonstrate your understanding that all people deserve equitable care.
3. Design for comfort.
Another way to ease the experience for individual patients, caregivers and staff is by offering some autonomy within each environment, empowering people to self-select spaces. Provide a mix of spaces, such as active waiting rooms, quiet zones, respite spaces, individual and group therapy rooms, family consultation spaces, etc. Offer furnishings that suit their personal needs—without rules or judgement—and a variety of lighting levels to help people decompress and de-escalate. Clear and simple wayfinding and other thoughtful design cues can also ease navigation and reduce stress along the journey.
In a children’s behavioral health clinic in Washington state, for example, families can make choices from the moment they arrive onsite. While many come through the main entrance, a separate and discreet entrance offers an option for families who need extra time with transitions. An outdoor play space provides a positive alternative for patients struggling to enter the building. And once they’re inside, multiple small, quiet waiting areas help ensure everyone can find a space that feels suitable.
4. Design with nature.
Provide access to outdoor spaces and other sources of biophilia, including natural light and air, through operable windows. Integrating mass timber construction is another design choice that can reinforce a connection to nature and thus contribute to positive health outcomes. Wood also offers a less clinical aesthetic and a lower carbon footprint. Our research on a conceptual mid-size community hospital in mass timber found that using wood is feasible in a healthcare setting and can create a sustainable care model that benefits both healthcare institutions and communities.
5. Design for long-term relevance and resilience.
Hospitals and other healthcare facilities are designed to last decades, so the spaces within them also need to remain useful for the long term. Design your facility’s rooms and the components within them to adapt and stay useful as needs evolve, research shifts and/or treatments change.
Design can also acknowledge the important role that healthcare facilities play as community resources, especially in small, remote communities. An Oregon hospital near the Pacific Coast, for example, is expanding so it can serve as a safe refuge for the region in case of a natural disaster, such as an earthquake or tsunami. Critical care spaces and equipment are intentionally placed on upper floors, while lower levels are designed to invite the community in, creating a center of support.
6. Design for a continuum of care.
Finally, healthcare facilities can be designed for a more expansive life rather than simply treating symptoms. Create spaces where connections can continue after a patient is self-sufficient and released from care, enabling them to stay connected with a trusted team and/or circle of support. Look for community-building partnership opportunities that enable long-term stability and growth, e.g., resources for housing, food, education—services that support patients after they’re discharged and help to reduce recurring mental and physical health challenges.
Hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities are all about people, yet the industry is burdened with issues of access, capacity and resources. By designing your facilities for people—and for all people—you can help lighten that burden.
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