By: Brittney Mount
During my research for my children’s rehabilitation center,
I found that Western medicine advances have caused the design of healthcare
facilities to lean more towards the economical approach rather than the
well-being of the actual patients. This discovery led me to look into
international healthcare design, mostly in China and Japan, which I plan to
incorporate a few of their common tactics into the design of my facility.
China
In China, they design buildings based on tactical passive
green design. Their buildings are typically long and narrow for optimal sun and
air exposure. Most do not exceed twenty-four meters in
width, and if they do they incorporate light wells. It is typical to have at
least fifty percent of the patient’s rooms to be facing the south. It is also
very common for there to be a multitude of buildings instead of cramming all of
the program into one building, this allows for the maximum amount of daylight
to reach the spaces. Their architecture is also typically done through a
modular design, which allows for easy adaptations to new medical advances and
easy expansion for the building.
The Chinese culture requires the incorporation of nature
into the healing environment, this is another factor of the passive green
design. Access to green spaces throughout the program is a necessity. The
Chinese culture also focuses on the concept of yin and yang, or the balance
between the body, environment, and social factors. The dignity of the patient
is assured through privacy and their well-being the center of the space. It is
believe based on evidence-based design that a patient recovers much quicker
when placed in a private room as opposed to a double.
Japan
The Japanese traditions are similar to the Chinese. They
require the incorporation of nature within the building not just quick access
to it a health garden, which are typically accessed at ground level along with
on the rooftop. They have multiple spaces be adjustable to accommodate for
different functions. Japan spends nearly half as much on healthcare than the
United States, so economic design is very important. Concrete is a common
material due to its cost and precast capabilities. Their designs typically
involve mass produced spaces, such as bathrooms.
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