Hospital Interior Architecture: Creating Healing Environments for Special Patient Populations

Explores the latest research on the relationship between the environment and healing, surveys a range of outstanding facilities, and most importantly, enables readers to gain the leading edge in a highly competitive field. DLC: Hospitals - Design and construction.

Hospital Interior Architecture Health care is the fastest growing sector of the economy and the need for experienced design consultants has never been greater, Despite this fact, there are few books or references to guide architects, interior designers, and hospital administrators on critical issues for the 1990s. Hospital Interior Architecture explores the latest research on the relationship between the environment and healing, surveys a range of outstanding facilities. and most importantly, enables readers to gain the leading edge in a highly competitive field. More than 450 illustrations-including over 200 color plates-make this reference as visually appealing as it it informative. It is no longer acceptable to be a generalist in health care design; highly specialized knowledge is required to be able to responsibly address the needs of such special patient populations as the elderly (especially those with dementia), children, neonates, critical care patients, cancervictims, psychiatric patients, rehabilitation, the chemically dependent, and others. Research and methods from diverse sources have been integrated into design guidelines for each special patient group. Thought-provoking commentary on controversial issues provides insight into new fields of inquiry challenging researchers. Special features of the book include:

• a survey of the nation’s most prominent medical centers
• a wealth of innovative design ideas to guide future projects
• floor plans of special care units
• guidelines for creating environments that support healing
• successful solutions to wayfinding problems
• criteria for judging excellence in health care design
• bibliography and resources for each special patient population

Topics include the psychology of color and its application to the health care environment; technical guidelines on color and lighting; innovative types of ambulatory care settings; the design of prosthetic environments for the elderly; cutting-edge research and design for Alzheimer’s care units; design log observation technique; post-occupancy evaluation; the effects of stress on immunologic competency; psychoneuroimmunology; Planetree model hospital project; therapeutic potential of the physical environment; art as therapy; architecture as a therapeutic tool; environmental hazards in an NICU; psychiatric risk management tactics; aging in place, and a comprehensive chapter on congregate care housing for the elderly. Packed with practical information, this single resource presents the experience of the nation’s most prominent consultants. It provides quick access to methods and research, acts as a handy reference to illustrate design concepts when meeting with clients, and offers an opportunity to see a vast number of facilities that achieve excellence. Here’a the only guide you’ll need to meet the challenges of health care design for the 1990s.