By Dr. Patricia Farrell: Complete Post through this link…
ngd-In the late 50s or early 60s, a psychiatrist took a lot of mescaline and then moved into a state institution for mental illness. He said that the worst thing about it was that he could never find his bed, even if he only walked 30 or 40 feet from it. This was because there were absolutely no personal distingushing aspects to any bed in the institution. He was treated well by the patients, less so by the staff…
Hospitals have no need to be bland, sterile environments that fail to take advantage of new technology to improve patients’ care and emotional health.
The layout and construction of hospital rooms have a significant impact on how well patients receive medical attention and feel emotionally. This insight has led to a shift in hospital design that incorporates neuroarchitecture concepts. The goal of neuroarchitecture, a discipline that merges neuroscience and architecture, is to design spaces that have a positive influence on people’s cognition, feelings, and general well-being. Architects are planning “buildings based on the emotions, healing, and happiness of the user.” The considerable impact of neuroarchitecture in healthcare settings has been discussed in several papers, which highlight the value of thoughtful design in enhancing patient care and emotional well-being.
The idea to recreate traditional hospital design in a way that has a greater impact on the patient’s emotional life rather than simply the medical procedures was first championed by Jonas Salk after his visits to a hospital in Italy. While there, he noticed his changed feelings in terms of more creativity and inspiration, and he used this new change when he planned to build the Salk Institute in California. Design details included natural lighting, the use of color, vegetation, and the shapes of the building. These elements are being utilized by companies such as NAC Architecture, NBBJ, Perkins & Will, the Brazilian Academy of Neuroscience & Architecture, and the Center for the Built Environment in California.
