1/3- Healthcare Design

In the article published in The Architect’s Journal, the writer Kate Trant discusses the importance and need of giving attention to the aesthetic design of a hospital facility in addition to concentrating on the functionality of the space. With exception to births, most of the events in a hospital are centered around pain, sorrow, or other negative emotions. All these negative feelings can be addressed not only for the patient, but the visitors and the staff as well; through the design of the environment they are all in. “A well-designed patient environment impacts positively on nursing staff, as well as vice-versa” (Trant, 2003). Trant addresses the then, new movement of design in healthcare facilities. A group named Design Brief Working Group (DBWG) formed and was comprised of not just medical planners and doctors, but engineers and design consultants as well. The formation of this group was proof of the growing importance being place on the design of therapeutic healing environments. The group’s role was to gather together and examine issues that related to the process of making healthcare environments more humane. A very important goal of the organization was figuring out how to communicate to those who had power and were in a position to make a “difference to the value of good design to the healing environment, to the therapeutic recovery of the patient, and the performance of the nursing staff” (Trant, 2003). One factor the DBWG felt was lacking in the design process was something they called ‘design thinking time’. They desired for there to be more time invested in this concentrated thinking at the early stages of planning. This push for more ‘design thinking time’ was spurred by the misconception that design input is a waste of time because of its cost leading to the belief that it is not worth the investment. Paying attention to and utilizing all the principles and elements of design are just as applicable in the healthcare arena, a field where it is “still too often viewed as superfluous extravagance” (Trant, 2003). Through this shift in priorities and the fast pace of medical advances, there has also been a change seen in service provision. All of these shifts are happening simultaneously with move from “task-orientated design that organizes and arranges for the medical profession, to a more patient-centered model” (Trant, 2003). The key here is linking the clinical aspects of planning with the development of the designed environment. Richard Burton, the chair of DBWG states that “We have outstanding architects and designers and we have the essential understanding of the benefits of a good environment to the healing process.” With so many others who share this belief, the interest in healthcare design has grown tremendously over the last six years, opening up vast possibilities for those willing to invest time into learning about these special environments that can be created.

2/3- Healthcare Design

One of the books I selected for research, Design and Health: The Therapeutic Benefits of Design, is comprised of various educators and designer’s research done on specific factors or aspects of the designed environment. Some of the research done by a professor from Texas A&M University, Dr. Roger Ulrich, caught my attention. His name was mentioned in the journal article I chose for bringing attention to the subject of healthcare environments and their effect of the patients that experience them. In a section written by Ulrich titled Effects of Healthcare Environmental Design on Medical Outcomes, he addresses and breaks down the factors that go into creating a positive healing environment. A college who has studied Ulrich’s research and that of many others said “there is suggestive evidence that aspects of the designed environment exerts significant affects on clinical outcomes for patients” (Ruben et al., 1998). Ulrich lists and briefly discusses some different environmental characteristics that have been indicated through studies to have an affect on patient’s outcomes. The first mentioned is noise. He found that in loud and noisy environments the patients had a much higher annoyance. The noise not only affected the patients, but higher stress was found in the staff as well. In quieter surroundings, there was overall better sleep quality and less irritability (Hilton, 1985). Other areas where improvements could be seen in recovery time were through the presence of windows and the effect of natural light, the number of patience to a single room, the choice of flooring materials, how the furniture is arranged, the air quality the patient is receiving, as well as the art and music they are exposed to. One factor that had an overwhelming impact was the visual presence of nature, whether it is through a window or through art. Incorporating nature into design is classified as a positive distraction and has been linked to patients having lower rates of anxiety and depression as well as lower blood pressure and reduced heart rates (Ulrich et al., 1991). This idea of taking the patients and staff’s mental wellbeing into consideration is talked about as Supportive Design. Through this type of thinking, the goals of any design are to foster control, foster social support, and facilitate access to nature and other positive distractions.

3/3- Healthcare Design

There has been a common theme in my time studying here in Scotland; it is the reoccurrence of me finding out how little I really know, about everything. I have been curious and interested about healthcare design but never really knew anything about it. I have really enjoyed getting to dig into this topic. Even though this is technically an assignment, the subject is so interesting to me I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to explore the information that is available. I love the idea that Trant talks about in her article. She discusses how we must design for the potential range of responses we can receive from a people in a space instead of trying to create a space that forces you to feel a certain way. The ideas presented in both of these sources through research, point again and again to the direct affect of the environment on a patient’s quality of healing. The journal article, which is a bit more general, simply sheds light onto the exciting area that has much room to grow. Some of the research done so far is seen in the writing my Dr. Ulrich, who states multiple times how there is a lack of research already out there. After personally just beginning to skim the surface of this subject, I big theme in this area is potential. The idea that it is not all figured out already is great! Why are there not more of us, architects, designers, psychologists, anybody with the ability to observe really, digging into this area? I have really enjoyed getting to learn about art, and principles and elements of design and techniques in drawing in my university experience so far, but getting to learn about how I can use those skills to help people is where I find myself content. I really love it when someone finds out my major and then the next thing out of their mouth is “I have this new couch and I don’t know what color fabric to make the throw pillow out of?” Once I got into the program back home, and people asked me what I will do with my interior design degree, I would tell I know I’m not going to just make a bunch of rich ladies happy by redoing their kitchen and living room once a year. I feel like healthcare design is a great avenue to go down and invest in towards a rewarding career, that has so much more value than paint color and fabric swatches.

Bibliography
Dilani, A., 2001. Design and Health-The Therapeutic Benefits of Design. svenskbyggtjanst.
Hilton, B. A. (1985). Research in Nursing and Health, 8 283-291.
Rubin, H. R., Owens A. J., and G. Golden (1998). Status Report: An investigation to Determine Whether the Built Environment Affects patients Medical Outcomes. Martinez, CA: The Center for Health and Design.
Trant, K. 2003. Just What the Doctor Ordered. The Architects' Journal: The Home of British Architecture. 1 December 2009. http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/home/just-what-the-doctor ordered/146970.article.
Ulrich, R. S. (1991) Effects on health facility interior design on wellness: theory and scientific research. Journal of healthcare design, 3 97-109.

Tis the Season

First of all, i have been thinking quite a bit about why countries who drive on the right side of the road move to the left side of store first and countries who drive on the left side move to the right. That doesn't make sense to me, it seems it should be the opposite, like we would be drawn to move the way our native traffic flow does. But it is so true, I subconsciously feel safer going to the left first when I enter a store. It has also been humorous when I am approaching someone on a sidewalk, i mean the pavement, I naturally move to the right to pass and the majority of the time the other person moves to their left. So after a fun little dance, i remember, "oh ya, im in Britain...go to the left." Forming that habit as well as looking to the right first when i cross the road have been very beneficial in avoiding potential collisions.

I have really enjoyed seeing different aspects of America through a non-American perspective. Although I laugh at Jon Stewart trying to explain why a sausage on a stick wrapped in chocolate chip pancake is innovative...at the end of the day, i can't help but wonder why something like that is created in the first place. And i have known what Black Friday is for as long as i can remember, but hearing it removed from American culture in a classroom context makes it sound so ridiculous, which it is. People are killed because we can't wait patiently. Its kinda like when someone tries to explain the plot of the Twilight series to someone who knows nothing about it... "So there's this family of vampires, but they aren't "normal" vampires, they only eat animals..."

Shopping in general make me anxious, I do not enjoy spending money, let alone having to spend time thinking about things I have to spend money on. I think i am a perfect example of an impulsive shopper, i am sucked right into sales that dont really save you anything and buy 1 get 1 offers...even when i dont need something, mostly two of the same somethings.
I worked in a christmas store September-December last year back in Texas. It was a really good opportunity to observe how people shopped. When you would hand them a basket, they would buy more. When things were on sale even a little, they would justify buying more things not on sale. We were suppose to encourage them to look at other decorations that would compliment what they had already picked out, and all they would need is a little nudge and they would just say 'okay, i'll take it all'. I always felt bad using salesmen techniques on them. There is already pressure from the atmosphere and the presence of other shoppers to buy things... the whole experience is just a mind game. If the visual incitement is there, it takes a really disciplined person to not give into the purchase. That is why hand made gifts are so much better. The factor of premeditation is there where in not all, but a large majority of store bought things are impulsive buys.

A Scottish Thanksgiving

It has been so refreshing to experience easily the second biggest holiday in America, in another country. Thanksgiving was last Thursday, the 26th of November, and it came with a few firsts... First Thanksgiving out of the country, first one without my family, first one i had to go to school on, and the first one i cooked for all by myself. One of the other 2nd years Amy, was SO awesome and halved cooking the Thanksgiving dinner with me. We invited all of second year IED, and i celebrated my first Thanksgiving Americanless. It was so great. The food was good, the company was good, and it made me brush up on my historical facts for the origin of Thanksgiving. I love how unique this Thanksgiving was, and it meant so much for all the guys to be so interested in it, and help celebrate it with me, even if it was just another reason they could use to drink :)

The difference in culture was most apparent in the grocery store. I was at Tesco the day before and was getting around just fine, there weren't crowds or lines anywhere. Of all the ingredients for a typical Thanksgiving meal that are available in the UK, none were out of stock. In the states on the day before, you would probably not be able to find a parking spot or think about getting out of the store in less than an hour, even if the only things on your list was a can of corn. It was funny and quite humbling to see life going on just like normal every else around the world. Not everyone cares about the same things America does and puts importance in different areas. I just appreciate the new perspective. Not to say i won't be celebrating Thanksgiving every year for the rest of my life, but the commercialization and money making side was no where to be seen at my Dundonian Thanksginving, an aspect that will most definitely be present in the States, forever, no matter how much we don't want to admit it.

Heres a picture of some of the guys filling there plates with their first Thanksgiving meal...

Bump in the Road

For the last 4 weeks my group in IED has been working on our final furniture project. The brief was to build a piece of functional furniture using an allotted amount of oak, birch plywood, and MDF. After designing our piece, we are now in the workshop building it. Everything had been going smoothly until we realized we had glued a piece together backwards. In our piece we have sections that mirror eachother composed of a side A and a side B. Our mistake was making three side A's and only one side B. Thankfully, we were able to cut apart the pieces glued wrong and only loose two pieces of ply. After a day of working with the new pieces, we are almost caught back up to where we would have been at the end of Monday. After being really frustrated, and jokingly trying to convince ourselves we are better for making the mistake, we realized it's really true. It's not nesessariliy that the physical mistake taught us anything more than that we need to take our time and double check marks before gluing; but in the process of trying to problem solve, we became more familair with the materials, were able to use other tools, and prioritize materials to loose a minimal amount of wood. We also realized that making more detailed mockettes would have helped us see the side A and side B more clearly, and then be more aware of the differences. Overall, it has been a great experience not just stopping a design at the 2D and 3D sketches and drawings, but having to personally see the design out and exectute its building in full scale.

Using Internet as Souces

Design Websites:
http://www.architecturaldigest.com/
http://www.designspongeonline.com/
http://www.materialicious.com/
http://www.graphic-exchange.com/home.html
http://www.id-mag.com/GeneralMenu/

News Websites:
http://www.cnn.com/
http://www.foxnews.com/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/
http://online.wsj.com/public/page/news-global-world.html
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/index.htm