healing architecture thesis

LUP Student Papers

Lund university libraries, healing architecture: exploration of mental well-being in an urban context.

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Healing through architecture: role of architecture in promoting healing in cancer care settings

Vrindha Vijay , Rhode Island School of Design Follow

Date of Award

Spring 6-1-2021

Document Type

Degree name.

Master of Architecture (MArch)

Architecture

First Advisor

Second advisor.

Jonathan Knowles

Architecture creates the ambience and frame of mind for the carer, who then passes it on to the patients. It is the physical space that provides us to feel a certain way or experience a set peacefulness. Humans tend to react to spaces around them to connect emotionally and physically. And in that sense, Architecture is key. The focus, thus far, in most healthcare centers have been on clinical care rather than the soft services. Today, Architecture is striving to make a better environment that can contribute to patients’ healing, recovery, and well-being.

The goal of this thesis is to facilitate the processes of caring and healing through the redesign of a cancer care center. The project will establish relationships between experience, empathy and architectural environment. The design should aim to reduce patient and family stress. To achieve this goal, architecture must eliminate environmental stress, poor lighting, and the lack of private spaces to allow the patients to take complete advantage of the space they are in.

When one finds themselves in a situation that conquers their abilities to fight their inner stress, they begin to rely on external factors. It is the physical space they are in that allows them to connect their emotions. The fact that hospitals ignore the importance of design in providing emotional and stress-free care for their patients is something one needs to reflect upon. This thesis explores the relationship between healing and architecture and focuses on cancer patients and their caretakers/caregivers in particular.

How can the physical space of a care center be used to enable emotional, physical and psychic well-being for patients and caregivers?

View exhibition online: Vrindha Vijay, HEALING through ARCHITECTURE

Recommended Citation

Vijay, Vrindha, "Healing through architecture: role of architecture in promoting healing in cancer care settings" (2021). Masters Theses . 669. https://digitalcommons.risd.edu/masterstheses/669

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The Impact of Architecture in the Process of Healing & Well-Being

2021, International Journal for Research in Applied Science & Engineering Technology

As per the definition given by the World Health Population, health alludes to the condition of complete physical, mental and social prosperity and not just the nonappearance of sickness or infirmity. It acts as a crucial parameter in the country's development. It could disrupt due to various strains resulting in Stress-the body's response to anything or a situation that requires any attention or action. Architecture is deeply contextual and responds to its social and environmental context as much as its historical and physical one. If we are designing for the ripple effect consciously, we benefit the individuals and support the community. By creating a healing space, one evokes the feelings of serenity, calm, and relaxation and can contribute to an environment that facilitates the natural healing process-a process of repair, recovery, and return to wholeness in mind, body, and spirit. Since there have been strong human responses to nature because these responses appear in study after study and are consistent across social, economic, cultural, and racial boundaries, buildings are the structures that strengthen the local community and connect people. These help the neighborhood economy and how they work. In this way, when we configuration to amplify the positive-social, monetary, and natural variables become the waves of architecture and engineering. To look over the design consideration of such spaces in the institutions, how can the healing Space architecture become an integral part of healing itself? How can architecture have an active role in the healing process? The conventional design approach is missing the inspiration and connection with the built structure from its precincts. Thus, the architectural inputs can affect the building design and affect the healing process. It also creates a comfortable and interactive for both the patients/ visitor and the staff who spend the central part of their day in it and, most importantly, would create a network of community and built form. This study emphasizes the variation in the patient's mood and creates a healing place instead of the machine to treat people with patient-focused experiential perspectives. The dissertation has a framework with the chapters divided into different sections. The first section introduces the health and the role of psychology concerning the spaces that evoke different moods and emotions within the user. The next chapter discusses and brings the different parameters with the medical shreds of evidence by reviewing and analyzing a few previous research studies in the same field. The third chapter analyzed a few of the live architectural projects based on the parameters mentioned in the chapter before and made a comparative analysis of those projects. Lastly, in the fourth chapter, the inferences are developed with the design recommendations for the thesis's future study and guidelines.

Related Papers

Civil Engineering and Architecture

Horizon Research Publishing(HRPUB) Kevin Nelson

The healing environment is one of the indispensable things for humans. It could be fulfilled through different means; one of them is in the hands of an architect. Healing through design has existed for a very long time, but now it is developed with new techniques. This paper discusses this topic in terms of spiritual, psychological and physiological health recovery for people because it is so important for a person to live in balance and mind safety. The aim of this study is to examine the diversity of aspects, in which the healing could be reached through. It also focuses on the essential design strategies for architects and other specialties. This study includes the healing elements of buildings, healing in the urban-scale and healing through biophilic design. The healing elements of architecture describe the integration of light and color, circulation and spatial organization, form and building system, building envelope and the application of healing architecture in medical buildings. The urban-scale healing will cover circulation and open areas, followed by outdoor spaces and healing gardens. At the same time, healing through biophilic design will include biophilic effect rules, biophilic design strategies, design considerations and design culture of biophilic versus biophobia. All in all, the main objective of this study is to develop a set of design recommendations, by which designers can design healing environments.

Anne Kathrine Frandsen

manish chitranshi

In hospital buildings wherever most, patients look for medical treatment and employees provides continuous support, making a healing atmosphere is primarily necessary and relevant. Healing suggests redressing ills and establishing a method that leads towards health. The term ‘Healing Architecture’ that has been coined recently, is employed to invoke a way of a nonstop process; It has been known for a protracted time that the natural atmosphere is closely connected with health and its close environmental conditions have an effect on human health. However, there&#39;s little proof to counsel that the physical aspects of designed atmosphere will have an effect on human health. These physical aspects of healing atmosphere serve for all users of the care facility: employees, clinicians, directors, patients and families. Existing studies have shown that in a very newer hospital atmosphere higher health outcome will be achieved once the physical aspects like access to outside read, patient...

Tharinda Dissanayake

Modern hospital environments provide no support for a total healing of special patient populations due to the lack of psychological satisfaction. Medical researches have proved that environment has direct impact for the psychological satisfaction, which is beneficial for the recovery of patients. On the other hand, it is identified that the environment provides great support which encourages patients towards the healing. It is identified that modern medicine relies on narrow focusing a diseases into body parts and treating the specific part through medicine based on science and technology. In front of criticism of such approach of medicine attempts have been made to incorporate the concept of “healing” instead of curing; which addresses the whole person. Medical expertise has theorized a parallel concept called Optimal Healing Environment (OHE) which is forced to be implemented in a medicine environment. Medical research institutes have briefed the requirements for an Optimal Healing Environment. Many examples are available within the modern world, which seems to be designed parallel to the Optimal Healing Environment concept. However, there seems to have a lack of proper research which attempts to characterize the architecture of such environments. This research is based on the concept of Optimal Healing Environment based on the ideology that architecture can contribute as a facilitator for the healing process. An attempt would be made to define the architectural characteristics for the briefed components of an OHE. Since this concept is still developing within the western medicine, it would be suggested that the research findings should be updated accordingly.

International Journal for Research in Applied Science & Engineering Technology (IJRASET)

IJRASET Publication

The research paper emphasises the study of design components for producing healing spaces in healthcare center. Because patients in healthcare centers undergo various treatments that make the surrounding environment strange compared to at home, architectural solutions that include a healing environment in the structure can be added. Health care organisations are beginning to incorporate aspects into hospital building that reduce stress and promote healing, as evidence of the benefits of healing places is being gathered. This paper reveals the relevance of human comfort in creating a therapeutic space, as well as the role of unique design in creating a healing environment. This covers topics such as air quality, colour, texture, light, and sound, among others.

Journal of Public Mental Health

Rona Stephen

Mette Folmer

UGC CARE JOURNAL

SOFIA MAHALINGAM

Winston Churchill right away illustrate the grasp of architecture & surroundings with the phrase that "We shape our buildings & later they shape us "Architecture is a civic profession that feel all human beings at all levels of their reality everywhere & every day. This is the only field which overlay the all expression: Humanities, Science, Art, and Technology. We as human beings have aclose network with our environment by sensibly, psychologically, intensely, religiously means.The space that create or induced a feeling or emotions in buildings realizing the great control that such built environments& surrounding hold, Even though in our previous old historical descendant suggest that spaces grip our mind to think about the past events and incidents. This paper result with represent, what does healing means? Throughspaces and functions in architecture. I am also form the valid design ideas&elements that make a design in healing spaces. To stave my design ideas& elements fitting the works, writings, research of architects like AlvarAalto, Sirishberi, Koel van velson, Michaelforo, etc..

Book Publisher International

As one of requirements of human life is health and hygiene, so, some places should be forecasted for these affairs to being true. Hygiene and health will be divided to physical and mental branches which researchers states that if mental health is provided, physical health can be easily available and finally, human can easily take his course during treatment which obtain healthy life. It finally causes creating great works and massive movements in human life. One characteristics of a good medicinal center is easy and rapid access, so that patients can have access to these centers with minimum time. This access is defined from the place where the patient resides to the interior spaces of medical centers, and many factors affect the quality of this path. On factor is the human view of form, how to create a different form by designing an external shell and embedding the original structure under this shell so that it can be developed and expanded at the same time, and at the same time be inviting, so that clients and users move towards these centers and walk indoors comfortably and away from double stress. Doing studies and data collection and information evaluation is of the basics of designing and requires a full research design. The present study is to provide a comprehensive cognitive understanding of all those involved in architectural design for hospital building and patients. Besides, studying and collecting all available written and verbal references, principles and optimized guidelines of designing an efficient hospital were extracted in order to meet medicinal and psychological needs of patients.

randall korman

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THESIS: Healing through Architecture

Healing through Architecture

Thesis Abstract by Jennifer Beggs 

Numerous studies show evidence of the body’s ability to “self-heal” when put into positive healing environments. This healing is enabled by the ability of the body to ‘tap into our internal pharmacies’ by activating the body’s powerful neurochemicals such as endorphins [Esther Sternberg].

The terms curing and healing are often used interchangeably but have distinct definitions. The term curing refers to the relief of the symptoms of a disease or condition. The term healing refers to the alleviation of a person’s distress or anguish. In order to fully take advantage of the body’s healing potential, environments hold the ability to stimulate the senses and become active healers themselves. This helps minimize negative effects of stress on the body, guiding a positive physical and psychological response to environments in ways that maximize the effectiveness of crucial medical treatments and procedures. In order to take advantage of the body’s healing pharmacies, environments must prevent the body from weakening due to stress.

Stress is the body’s biggest obstacle in healing, and many contemporary hospitals inflict so much stress on patients that it actually slows down healing, counteracting the medications and treatments patients receive. One of the body’s most effective ways of healing is through the means of releasing endorphins which can reduce pain and swelling, lead to feelings of euphoria, modulate appetite, and enhance the immune system’s response. Endorphins are natural, not addictive (unlike many drugs) and often have the same effect as traditional drugs such as morphine and codeine.

This thesis explores the relationship between environments and the chemical reactions in the body that enable healing. The research reviews several healing spaces, comparing traditional healing spaces with contemporary ones, and analyzing both positive and negative examples in terms of the architecture’s ability to help augment healing. The research reviews the focus patient in cancer treatment, investigating their specific challenges and then finally introduces the site, Grand River Hospital in Kitchener, Ontario, in which the design development is situated. The proposed design interventions focus on how architecture can have a positive impact on patients receiving chemotherapy. In order to realistically move towards fully realized wellness, hospitals need to take a holistic approach to treat a patient’s physical illnesses, psychological health, emotional hardships, and physiological response. “Ultimately it is the senses that need to be revitalized as it is an integral part of healing” [“Grandnm”].

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Master Works 2016

The Master Works Exhibition provides recent graduates of the UW Masters of Architecture program the opportunity to exhibit their work solo or in a group and takes their thesis beyond a book to explore it as a larger exhibition. The opening reception for the exhibition will be on Monday, Oct 3rd at 6:30pm at the Design at Riverside Gallery.

Leave your reply.

I am very interested in this research. where can i read the full thesis on this ?

I’m doing my thesis on healing center and would like more information from you regarding your study. Thanks.

You can download Jennifer Beggs’ full thesis here: uwspace.uwaterloo.ca/handle/10012/9591 Another Waterloo student very recently defended a thesis on long term care & rehabilitation hospitals that may be of use to you too: uwspace.uwaterloo.ca/handle/10012/14398

can u suggest some casestudies on this topic??

i am doing my thesis on schizophrenia is there any information on mental care centres or schizophrenia centres?

Would you mind if I use some of the lines in my podcast

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Healing House | Architecture Thesis

Information

• Project Name: Healing House
• Student Name: Niels Geerts
• Discipline: Architecture
• Level: Masters Design Thesis
• Institute: Amsterdam Academy of Architecture
• University: Amsterdam University of the Arts
• Location: Amsterdam
• Country: Netherlands

Excerpt: ‘ Healing House ’ is an architecture thesis by Niels Geerts from Amsterdam Academy of Architecture – AUA, Amsterdam University of the Arts , that explores healthcare architecture approached from the perspective of the patient and promotes regional healthcare. Healing House participates in a debate on a pressing vital social issue: the role of the present-day healthcare facility and the importance of architecture in this. This project bridges the gap between the patient’s very personal experiences and the practical, effective realm of healthcare.

Introduction: ‘ Healing House ’ is an architecture thesis that participates in a debate on a pressing vital social issue: the role of the present-day healthcare facility and the importance of architecture in this. The need for a healthy living environment is growing, and hospitals are being more frequently located on the outskirts of cities due to reduced expenses. In order to integrate care into the daily lives of residents and locals, Healing House performs the exact opposite and blends in with the existing living environment. By remaining traditional, Healing House innovates in this area by advocating for local care. Care was initially frequently provided at home. The approach is centred on a large informal care team that consists of carers as well as family, friends, and visitors.

Healing House is a proposal for a healthcare cluster on the current site of rehabilitation centre Reade Amsterdam, between the Vondelpark and the street Overtoom. The existing building forms a border. Healing House connects the city with the park and the patient with society.

This project is entirely approached from the perspective of the patient, in contrast with regular care projects. The question is constantly asked, “I wake up, then what?” and “How does your day look like?” Thus, Healing House bridges the gap between the patient’s very personal experiences and the practical, effective realm of healthcare.

Site Context

The project is located between Vondelpark and Overtoom Street on the existing site of Reade Amsterdam, a rehab centre. Future plans call for the Reade Revalidation Centre to relocate from its existing location, freeing up the land. The present-day Reade structure separates itself from its surroundings. A ramp on the Overtoom’s side prevents the building and the street from coming into direct contact. Access to the park is restricted by an iron gate on the Vondelpark side.

Gardens, walkways, and water features surround the site. A variety of commercial buildings, including restaurants, cafes, and supermarkets, can be found on Overtoom Street. South of the location, there is a bridge. This area resembles the southwest corner of the Vondelpark a lot since there, too, private gardens border the park. From the garden, it seems to stretch on forever, and the park can plainly see the boundary on the other side.

The proposal makes use of the existing urban plan. The rhythm and material of the historically composed city street Overtoom is continued in the street facade, the Vondelpark gets an extension in the form of a garden, which continues into the building.

Design Process

In order to gain a sense of the place, the approach began with an urban development study of the area. The initial insight was made when the architecture was considered from the perspective of the inhabitants. The horizontal view is significant in a typical project. The vertical view is especially crucial at a care facility since clients frequently lie down on their beds.

Both the transitions between spaces and the transition between building and park as a filter were studied. Slowly, the concept emerged to create entirely continuous spaces rather than corridors. The patient served as the new starting point. The bed was the inspiration for the initial design; it is rounded so that one can immerse themselves in it all day. The structure was gradually constructed from the bed.

The concept of the healing house emerged. Every patient has varied needs, and no patient is ever unique. One prefers the peace of nature, while the other seeks the energy of a busy city. The apartment that meets both requirements and allows the resident to independently choose his level of solitude and tranquillity serves as the project’s foundation.

From the bed, the building has expanded, and spaces have been gradually added. In its ultimate form, Healing House turned out to be extremely similar to Reade’s urban planning solution in terms of its main design, which was interesting and unintended. However, Healing House has a completely different design: the structure faces the city, and the quality of life for the patients and their loved ones as well as the development of spatial plans are here at the centre.

Final Outcome

I-perspective: In an original move, the “I-perspective” was used in the design. The most personal aspect of the project—the bed—was the starting point. From there, more functions and areas were added, and the building’s scale expanded. From the apartment to the common areas with transitional spaces, to a health clinic, a spa as a sunken garden, an above-ground garden, and the environs.

The key is having a deep relationship with nature. The park is visible from every room. Gardens from the basement to the roof enable biodiverse life and promote healing on multiple layers.

Human Central: Every unit has a view of the park from the resident’s bed. The apartment grows more exposed to the rest of the building the closer one is to the street side. People spend a lot of time on the bed in a hospital or medical facility. It is crucial that the area around the bed be adaptable to support various uses. Another factor is that the importance of the vertical perspective is at least equal to that of the horizontal view.

Local Healthcare: ‘Residents’ at Healing House feel more like actual people and less like patients as a result of the facility’s shared functions with the surroundings. Additionally, it extends an invitation to the neighbourhood to come by and utilise the complex’s various semi-public amenities, including the sunken garden, the restaurants, and the health clinic. This fosters a community where healthy living is encouraged and where prevention is as much as important as cure.

Functionality & Buildability: Healing House has a clearer distribution of functions, by positioning a spacious public plinth and spa in a way that it can also be used by the city. The clinic has a moderate height accent that matches the Overtoom, and the bed house is built as a residential building for the street. Most of the materials are recycled, biodegradable, or sustainable. A rational 5.4m wooden CLT (Cross Laminated Timber) grid lies beneath the organic layout. All bathrooms and shafts are placed logically in the CLT grid that lies beneath the organic layout.

Social space & broad care team: The floorplan has been improved for efficiency by connecting common areas and staff quarters directly to the rooms rather than using corridors. This idea is in line with the plan’s design, which places a strong emphasis on voluntary interactions. Residents can connect with one another as well as nursing staff, family, and friends in these transitional spaces.

Conclusion: Many healthcare facilities have been constructed as effective machines, where insurance companies decide the quality of a vulnerable person’s life, as a result of the privatisation of healthcare. In Healing House , this is completely the opposite; here, the quality of life (and death) is paramount on all levels of the spectrum.

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10 Examples of Healing Architecture around the world

Healing Architecture is a scientifically developed concept to nurture the physical and mental wellbeing of people. Prevalent in healthcare facilities and rehabilitation centres, this form of building, targets humans at the core of the issue. The spaces are designed to create environments to facilitate happiness and tranquillity. This function-driven design typology combines architecture , psychology and human anatomy , to induce the human ability to self-heal. 

Below is the list of 10 examples of healing architecture:

1. Drug De-addiction Centre for Muktangan Mitra:

Designed by renowned Architect Shirish Beri, the health care facility is located in Pune. Built in 1986, the structure conforms to the contoured landscape. The building aims to rehabilitate drug addicts into society. The enclosed amphitheatre can accommodate up to 150 people while providing much-needed light and ventilation indoors. It visually connects the various internal spaces with nature, with the help of lush, grassy steps and ivy-covered stone walls. The structure combines transparency and solidarity by the intermixing of glass windows and stone retaining walls. The common spaces are naturally lit by circular skylights. Stepped balconies run along the perimeter of the structure, providing scenic views of the Western Ghats. The vistas, common spaces and the mix of materials facilitate the experience and process of patients undergoing rehabilitation. 

2. Saroj Gupta Cancer Centre and Research Institute:

Located in Thakurpukur, Kolkata, the teaching hospital is the only cancer hospital in India with such an expansive campus. Designed by Anjan Gupta Architects, the 13-acre site is extensively landscaped to incorporate the structures within nature. Opened in 1973, the hospital has 311 beds and over 850 staff members. The campus has three water bodies which provide passive cooling and a sense of tranquillity for patients. The building typology varies with functional requirements and external factors, thereby ensuring a more cost-effective design. The structures range from two to four-storey tall thereby reducing exposure to harsh sunlight. The colourful exteriors along with the lush green surroundings stimulate the mind and foster positivity. 

1.Master_Plan

2.Child_Care_Centre_Front_view_

3.Child_Care_Centre_Rear_view

3. Ilima Conservation School:

Located in the Tshuapa Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the campus aims to protect humans and wildlife in and around the village of Ilima. The 800 square metre building designed by MASS Design Group, was completed in 2015. The school comprises a reception area, library, an office and six classrooms. A pitched roof sits atop the two-metre-high walls to ensure ventilation in the highly hot and humid microclimate. The project ensured local employment and education toward construction technologies. The large volumes also aid in the cooling and circulation . Due to its remote location, the school is made entirely of local materials, with the help of the villagers. The walls are made up of mud combined with palm oil, while the roof is made of wooden shingles. The entire school emitted 307,000 kilograms of carbon less than that of a similar project elsewhere. The entire construction strategy, its process and the end product helped the community and the surrounding fauna heal and get a new beginning.

4. Butaro district hospital, Rwanda:

The 6000 square metre facility in the Burera District of Rwanda was completed in 2011. MASS Design Group worked in collaboration with ICON to idealise the 150-bed hospital. The hospital reverses the conventional central corridor layout. The corridors run along the perimeter of the building with the beds in the wards facing the windows rather than inwards. This reduces the risk of hospital-borne infections and cross-contamination . The views provide the patients with a feeling of peace and tranquillity. Constructed using local labour and local materials, the project boosted employment and the local economy. The excavation and walls were done by hand, thereby decreasing the transportation cost of the project.

• aerial site view
• entire project
• connecting passages
• hospital wards

5. Bridgepoint Active Healthcare, Canada:

Built in 2013, Bridgepoint Active Healthcare is situated in Toronto, Canada. The 63,000 square metre facility focuses on complex chronic disease treatment and rehabilitation. It was designed by HDR, KPMB Architects, and Diamond Schmitt Architects. The adjoining Don Jail was refurbished to house the hospital’s administration and education centre. The 140-year-old jail is connected to the newly built treatment centre by a bridge. The ground floor of the hospital wing is made of glass, thereby promoting transparency and entry of natural light. The façade is a mix of different types of windows and has cuboidal projections of multiple sizes. The horizontal ribbon windows on each floor are broken intermittently by vertical pop-out windows in the otherwise linear façade. The lower ground floor has a sunken therapeutic pool, which looks out onto the surrounding park. This enhances connectivity with nature and people in the outside world. The roof has a picnic area overlooking the city, for patients to reconnect with the environment and the busy city. The project won the 2015 AIA National Award and has a LEED Silver certification for sustainability.

1.exterior_south-east

• Don_Jail_rotunda
• patient_room
• terrace_roof
• therapy_pool1_

6. The National Memorial for Peace and Justice:

The National Memorial in Montgomery, Alabama spans across 2800 square metres. Conceptualized by MASS Design Group and activist and lawyer Bryan Stevenson of the Equal Justice Initiative it was built in 2018. It was built in remembrance of the lives lost to lynching, between Reconstruction and the 2nd World War. There are names of over 4000 people, from the twelve Southern States alone. The project aims to accept history and to help people move on from the dark past. The structure makes us introspect on the much-needed change in the mindset of the population of the USA. As one enters the monument, the floor seems to drop down, forcing visitors to look up at the suspended plaques. The entire site consists of 800 COR-TEN steel columns hanging from the roof, with each dedicated to a particular county or district. 

7. Mount Sinai Hess Centre for Science and Medicine:

The Mount Sinai Hess Centre was built in 2013 by world-renowned architectural firm, Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM). The 40,000 square metre facility in Upper Manhattan, blends nature and state of the art technology to create a healing environment. Each floor has informal as well as formal meeting spaces for scientific discussions and relaxation. Visitors’ access is restricted to the bottom four levels. A four-storey high atrium is landscaped to provide much-needed relief to an otherwise solid mass amidst the city. Comprising 11 levels, the research centre is connected vertically by a central stairwell. Horizontally the various visitor spaces are connected visually. 

8. Gallaudet University:

The Gallaudet University expansion was built in 2008, in Georgetown, Northeast DC. It was designed by the university architect, Hansel Bauman. Being the only liberal arts institution for the deaf and hard of hearing, the Sorenson Language and Communication Centre’s meaning of healing is different than in hospitals. The healing aspect is seen in the improved quality of education and living. Various design elements have been modified to accommodate communication via sign language. The doorways and corridors are wider while diffused natural light enhances visibility. Horseshoe-shaped seating is provided in common areas so that discussions occur without hindrance. This kind of architecture has been termed as DeafSpace by the architect and the university. The acoustics are designed to minimise white noise and echoes. The walls are painted in contrast to skin tones to ensure students’ and teachers’ hand movements are clear. 

9. Jiyan Healing Garden:

Jiyan Healing Garden is an animal-assisted trauma therapy centre situated in Chamchamal, Kurdistan-Iraq. The 660 square metre facility was built by ZRS Architekten Ingenieure in 2016. The centre aims to aid citizens suffering from trauma caused by the continuing strife in the nation. It reinvents traditional local architecture using local materials, construction technologies, flora and fauna. A set of eleven earthen structures are arranged around a courtyard. The rooms are passively cooled with the help of thick air-dried earth brick walls and straw insulated timber roofs. The roofs extend to form porches and continue to shade the pathways connecting the varying volumes. The site is landscaped in a grid pattern to give a semblance of uniformity and symmetry. 

10. Santa Fe de Bogotá Foundation:

Situated in Bogota, Columbia, the hospital expansion was built in 2016. Designed by El Equipo de Mazzanti, the building has a floor area of 32,000 square metres. The building connects with the city with the presence of a landscaped plaza. The large cube merges with the rest of the medical complex, with help of the brick façade. However, the brick is used as a perforated membrane with an externally concave screen. There is a solarium on the ninth floor of the twelve storeys tall building. The solarium brings the soothing effect of nature into the common spaces. Lighting conditions, natural ventilation and greenery reduce the recovery time by reducing the stress and fatigue of the patients.

A 4th-year student of architecture, Krittika is foraying into the professional world of design. Buildings- their past, present and the endless possibilities of the future excite and inspire her. Her means of expression is through writing and art. She unwinds by listening to music and is an avid reader.

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Discover the power of Healing Architecture: 15 inspiring examples

Healing architecture is a growing field in the design world, focusing on creating spaces that promote mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Architects and designers are increasingly incorporating elements that harness the healing power of the environment to contribute to overall wellness. From serene healthcare facilities to revitalizing urban parks, this article explores 15 remarkable examples of healing architecture worldwide, showcasing how thoughtful design can positively impact our lives.

Architecture has always been a medium to shape our experiences and interactions with the world around us. In recent times, there has been a significant shift in architectural design, with a heightened emphasis on creating spaces that serve their functional purpose and contribute to the well-being of their occupants.

Healing architecture is a prime example of this evolution, focusing on designs that promote healing, reduce stress, and enhance overall quality of life. Let’s delve into 15 inspiring examples of healing architecture that have garnered attention on a global scale.

1. The Maggie’s Centre, Dundee, Scotland

The Maggie’s Centre in Dundee, Scotland , designed by Frank Gehry, is an architectural marvel dedicated to supporting cancer patients emotionally and practically. The design incorporates warm and welcoming spaces, lush gardens, and natural light, all essential to healing and comfort.

2. The Samaritan Medical Center, San Jose, Costa Rica

The Samaritan Medical Center in Costa Rica integrates green spaces, natural light, and open-air corridors, creating a healing environment for patients. The design focuses on the therapeutic potential of connecting with nature to enhance the recovery process.

3. The Centre for Well-being, Phuket, Thailand

Designed by MIA Design Studio, the Centre for Well-being in Phuket epitomizes tranquility and healing. The architecture merges with the surrounding landscape, utilizing the beauty of nature to create a serene space for mental and physical rejuvenation.

4. The Serenity Spa, Iceland

The Serenity Spa seamlessly blends with its surroundings amidst the stunning Icelandic landscape. The design prioritizes natural materials and panoramic views, inviting visitors to relax and rejuvenate, capitalizing on the therapeutic properties of nature.

5. The Well Living Lab, Rochester, Minnesota, USA

The Well Living Lab is a research facility designed to explore the impact of the indoor environment on human health. It showcases a modern approach to creating spaces conducive to physical and mental well-being.

6. The Dignity Health Women’s and Children’s Center, San Francisco, USA

This medical center embodies a patient-centered approach to healthcare architecture. With its focus on natural light, healing gardens, and calming interiors, the center provides a nurturing environment for patients and their families.

7. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Headquarters, Seattle, USA

Designed by NBBJ, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Headquarters in Seattle is a prime example of how architecture can facilitate collaboration and well-being. The design incorporates abundant natural light, open spaces, and greenery to create a healthy work environment.

8. The Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) Campus, Singapore

This educational institution showcases sustainable and innovative architecture that creates a conducive learning and collaboration environment. The campus design includes sustainable features and open spaces encouraging student and faculty interaction and creativity.

9. The Cleveland Clinic, Abu Dhabi, UAE

The Cleveland Clinic in Abu Dhabi is a state-of-the-art healthcare facility that emphasizes healing through architecture. The design maximizes natural light, incorporates calming aesthetics, and integrates green spaces to foster a healing atmosphere for patients.

10. The Garden Well-being Hospital, Al Ain, UAE

The Garden Well-being Hospital is a pioneering project in the UAE that combines modern healthcare facilities with healing gardens. The hospital design emphasizes the restorative power of nature and its positive effects on the healing process.

11. The Centro Hospitalar Psiquiátrico de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal

This psychiatric hospital in Lisbon focuses on mental health and well-being through thoughtful architecture. Natural light, spacious interiors, and open communal areas create a sense of comfort and aid in patients’ healing journey.

12. The Chapel of St. Ignatius, Seattle, USA

Designed by Steven Holl Architects, the Chapel of St. Ignatius is a captivating example of spiritual healing through architecture. The design evokes a sense of serenity and introspection, providing visitors with a tranquil space for contemplation and prayer.

13. The Central Park, New York City, USA

Central Park in New York City is an urban oasis that showcases how healing architecture extends beyond buildings. The park’s design seamlessly blends with nature, offering a space for relaxation, recreation, and a respite from the hustle and bustle of city life.

14. The Taichung Metropolitan Opera House, Taiwan

Designed by Toyo Ito, this opera house is an architectural masterpiece that creates a symbiotic relationship with its surroundings. The design integrates greenery and natural elements, promoting harmony and well-being among visitors.

15. The Alnwick Garden, Northumberland, UK

The Alnwick Garden is a prime example of therapeutic horticulture and healing through nature-inspired design. The garden’s layout, features, and interactive spaces contribute to its visitors’ overall wellness and enjoyment.

Healing architecture is an inspiring movement that prioritizes the well-being of individuals through thoughtful and intentional design. These 15 examples from around the world showcase the diversity and creativity within this field, highlighting the profound impact architecture can have on our physical, emotional, and mental health.

As we continue to evolve, it is crucial to invest in designs that serve functional needs and enrich our lives, promoting a healthier and happier future.

What is Healing architecture?

Healing architecture means designing buildings and spaces that make people feel better and happier. It uses light, fresh air, and nature to help people heal and feel good.

How does healing architecture help people?

Healing architecture helps people by making buildings that are comfortable and calming. When buildings have light, nice colors, and good air, people feel less stressed and get better faster.

What are some essential ideas for healing buildings?

Healing facilities need lots of natural light, plants and trees, safe materials, and spaces that are easy to move around. They should also be pretty and have places to be quiet.

Can all kinds of buildings heal?

Yes! Hospitals, schools, houses, and even museums can be healing. They use unique ideas to make people feel good and get well.

Are there examples of healing buildings?

Yes, some places like Maggie’s Centres and the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi are built to help people feel better. They use nice colors, oversized windows, and unique designs to make people happy and healthy.

DHRUBAJYOTI ROY, the visionary behind Builtarchi.com, who holds a passion for transforming ideas into tangible and awe-inspiring structures. His multifaceted persona encompasses a love for cars & by profession an Architect.

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