Healthcare Design - November 2018 - 25

P R E V I E W

expanding the color palette beyond gray, white,

resistance to change is about risk or cost, start

is around multisensory therapy, a form of treatment

and beige can help make these environments more

small. If a living wall is too risky, try a few plants

that uses a robust palette of pleasurable sensations,

joyful and comforting for patients and staff alike.

first. If a mural is too costly, hang paintings. If

One of the most intriguing areas of research for me

such as colored light, plush fabrics, and fruit aromas,

Sound is another element to consider. The hard

painting patient rooms is too much of a com-

to address conditions such as dementia and traumatic

surfaces found in healthcare environments can cre-

mitment, change out the blankets. Do before-

brain injury (TBI). This research is still early, but it's

ate harsh reverberations that amplify noise, which

and-after tests to gauge the effects of small

been shown to alter TBI patients' brain activity in ways

research shows can be stressful both mentally and

interventions.

similar to meditation, as well as reduce apathy and

physically. Softening hard surfaces, therefore, can

agitation among dementia patients. All this research

play an important role in making a space more

way we do things here" attitude, engage clients

suggests that our physical environment has the poten-

conducive to well-being. Also, natural sounds, such

in the process of change. Ask them to try a

tial to deeply affect our well-being, though currently

as birdsong, have been shown to relieve stress and

small change in their homes, for example, and

there's insufficient awareness of these effects.

promote joy in man-made environments.

report back on the effects. If you're thinking

Lastly, I think scale is an important consider-

If the resistance comes from a "this is the

about adding an art installation, invite staff

What design elements can be used to create
the feeling of joy?

ation in healthcare spaces. In this respect, I think

members to help choose between the different

current trends may not be beneficial. I recently had

palettes. Test with patients, family, and com-

Color is a powerful one. As the German painter Jo-

a pre-operative appointment in a new hospital

munity members to show the broader support

hannes Itten once said, "Color is life; because a world

building, which seemed to follow the conventions

for the new ideas.

without it appears to us as dead." Environments that

of modern office buildings with vast hallways

can support life usually are rich in vibrant color, while

and spacious rooms with high ceilings. But, in the

that the changes will really impact patient health

dull environments either lack sufficient light, water, or

context of healthcare, it made me feel small, and

or the bottom line, show them the research. Start

nutrients to support life. So, the presence of vibrant

this smallness increased my sense of vulnerability.

with interventions that have well-developed

color (even a small pop) creates a feeling of joy.

Out-of-scale environments can be joyful in other

evidence bases around them, such as nature and

contexts, but in healthcare, maintaining a sense of

light, and translate those abstract numbers to the

most joyful objects are circles or spheres: bubbles,

humanness in the scale can help avoid triggering

specific situation at the facility.

balloons, spinning tops, frisbees, merry-go-rounds,

this sense of vulnerability.

Another important element is curves. Many of the

hula hoops. Research shows that when people are

And if the resistance is about not believing

Where else might designers push their
clients to think differently?

lar objects, the amygdala part of their brains, which

What about designing for staff members'
mental and physical well-being, as well?

is associated in part with fear and anxiety, lights

Light is important here, too, especially given the

environments and the lack of understanding of

up. When they look at curves, this part stays silent.

fact that many doctors and nurses work long shifts

how aesthetics influence well-being has, at times,

Yet the built environment is often full of hard angles.

or night shifts that disrupt their circadian rhythms.

pushed out considerations of aesthetics and

Introducing curves into man-made spaces cultivates

Research with acute care nurses, for example,

made them seem like decoration rather than an

both joy and ease.

shows that greater exposure to daylight increased

integral part of the healthcare journey. I believe

the amount of spontaneous laughter on a ward.

that raising awareness about the emotional and

What areas do you think could be explored
to make healthcare spaces, specifically, more
joyful?

Again, supplementing with artificial light can be

physiological effects of aesthetics can help bring

beneficial if natural light isn't available.

these two facets of design back together and

Nature and daylight are both vitally important ele-

If possible, providing staff with a place to take a

ments for restoring joy to the built environment, but

break that has an elevated view, either outdoors or

it's worth noting that both rely on bringing something

indoors, can help provide perspective. In studies,

natural into the man-made. My research suggests it's

gaining a small amount of physical elevation (the

What lessons do you hope attendees will
take away from your talk?

important not just to look at balancing out the man-

equivalent to a flight of stairs) prompted people to

I'm excited to share a palette of ways to cultivate

made elements, but also to work with these elements

take a more big-picture view of situations, which

joy and well-being in the built environment,

to make them more joyful and sensorially enriching.

could be helpful in relieving the stress of health-

both from within healthcare spaces and also

The spartan quality of many healthcare environ-

care roles and aid in problem-solving.

from other categories of design. My goal is to

placed in fMRI machines and shown pictures of angu-

Another element to consider here is elevation.

ments evokes a kind of minimalist feeling, which may

softening hard edges with curves; supplementing
natural light with broad-spectrum artificial light; and

To some extent it depends on the barriers. If the

distinctly unwelcoming to the senses. Adding elements of abundance with surface patterns or textures;

make for a more integrated healthcare design
experience.

broaden attendees' understanding of how we

Healthcare is traditionally a risk-averse
industry. What advice would you give
designers working with organizations that
are resistant to change?

advertise their clean and sterile nature, but also feels

Functional demands on design in healthcare

can create healthcare environments that truly
help people thrive.

NOVEMBER 2018

Healthcare Design - November 2018

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Healthcare Design - November 2018