Insights & Solutions

The goal for this project was to create an environment in which art would aid in reducing stress and foster wellbeing while functioning as a supportive component in the overall healing process. 

The goal for this project was to have the interdisciplinary design team pursue the creation of a total environment of care with the following objectives: reduce patient and visitor stress, reduce wait times and improve flow, improve staff sightlines both for security as well as clinical care, and capture natural light and views of nature at an urban edge. 

The goal for this project was to conduct research that will: identify the needs of cancer patients while undergoing infusion treatment, develop potential environmental design solutions to fulfill the needs, and validate significant environmental design strategies for infusion patient care and satisfaction. 

The goal for this project was to clearly define a hypothesis that provided focus to research efforts and clear direction for the design of new Specialty Outpatient Clinics (SOCs) at the new Medical Centre of the National University Health System, Singapore.

Behavioral health settings guided by strict safety design measures often result in spaces that are stark, plain, and isolated - potentially exacerbating environmental stressors and escalating already difficult patient situations. Acute care emergency settings have a particular set of challenges as EDs are predicting increased visits from behavioral health patients. Faced with the challenge of designing a behavioral health care setting in the Emergency Department at UnityPoint Health in Rock Island, IL, the project team hypothesized that the creation of a Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU) with a “Living Room Concept” would provide a higher quality of care to patients while assisting in the staff’s ability to quickly consult and treat a diverse set of patients entering the ED. 

When you think of your organization’s setting, you probably focus on its visual and functional aesthetics. But do you also connect the design approach to the logistics of the communication that occurs in the space? If not, you could be missing some very real opportunities for improvement, since research reveals that the two can be closely linked.

As the focus in healthcare hones in more and more on that all-essential interaction between physicians and patients, you’ll want to be more aware of how your design choices facilitate such meaningful communication.