Client: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center New York, New York 2011

1. Designing Environments for Healing and Wellness
Rachel Happ
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
New York, New York
Thursday, March 21, 2013

2. Introduction
-Environment impacts the healing process.
-Studies have proven that natural light can
reduce depression, and that scenes of nature can reduce
reported pain levels.
-Evidence based design also proves that building environment
has huge impact on the delivery of healthcare.
Thursday, March 21, 2013

3. Elements of Design
-Sense of Place
-Private Rooms
-Nature
-Artwork
-Sounds
Thursday, March 21, 2013

4. NATURE
1984- a study by Roger Ulrich was published in Science
Magazine
-Over the course of 10 years, the study proved that patients
with views of nature left the hospital a whole day sooner then
patients without views of nature.
-The patients with the view of nature required less doses of
pain medication then the patients without the view.
Thursday, March 21, 2013

5. Private Rooms
- Study at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Michigan
proved that with private rooms, well-located sinks, and
improved air-flow design, hospital-acquired infections
declined 11 percent.
-Another study, The Pebble Project showed that,
reducing noise levels by the use of private rooms
improved sleep quality of patients by almost one half
Thursday, March 21, 2013

6. Banner Page Hospital, Arizona
-Features light-filled rooms with exterior glass walls
-Extra space for family members to be present
images from Healthcare Design Magazine
Thursday, March 21, 2013

7. RTKL Associates
RTKL has worked on luxury resorts and hotels, and now is
incorporating similar design principles into hospitals
Text
Children’s Medical Center, Dallas Lancaster General Hospital MRI room
Thursday, March 21, 2013

8. Gunether 5 Architects
-focus on designing hospitals using sustainable and local
materials.
- meant to feel more like holistic spas rather then hospitals
-The spaces integrate medicine practice with,
“compassionate and healing design, as well as environmentally
responsible architecture and interiors”
-G5
Thursday, March 21, 2013

9. Renfield Center at Beth Israel, NYC
Discovery Health Center-­ Harris, New York
Maimonides Cancer Center, Brooklyn
Thursday, March 21, 2013

10. Mayo Clinic
Rochester, MN
Thursday, March 21, 2013

11. Priestmangoode “Health Manifesto”
Priestmangoode believes that by using the same principles
found in airports, first-class air cabins, and hotel rooms, better,
more efficient patient
environments could be achieved.
“ By choosing the right materials, colors
and lighting, they can be designed to be
more appealing environments that can
ultimately help a patient’s recovery. And
the beauty is, they don’t need to cost
more.”
- Priestmangoode
Thursday, March 21, 2013

12. Images & Concepts from the “Health Manifesto”
Inspiration for low-­cost, efficient models: Priestmangoode Hotel Room for ETAP-­
“Cheap dosen’t mean poor quality”
Inspiration for privacy: design of first class Swiss
airline.
“Privacy in every space, for every patient”
Sink designed for ETAP Hotel, made from central column
that features electics, water, internet/phone cabling, with
mirror and desk built in.
Inspiration for “Smarter, more multifunctional Use of
Space”
Thursday, March 21, 2013

13. Priestmangoode “Recovery Lounge”
Thursday, March 21, 2013

14. Urban Zen Foundation
“Our focus is to change the current healthcare paradigm to
include integrative medicine and promote patient advocacy.
We must treat the patient with the same passion we treat the
disease by combining western science with nutrition, yoga and
eastern healing practices.”
- Urban Zen Foundation
Thursday, March 21, 2013

15. Conclusion
-These new hospital designs are meant to be more then
aesthetically pleasing. They are meant to bring a sense of healing
and wellness to the patients.
-Healing spaces and calming interiors aid in the treatment
process, and allow the patient in many cases to even recover at
a faster rate.
-Healthcare should come first in our lives, and in the lives of
those we care for- this should begin with good design.
Thursday, March 21, 2013