INTEGRATED MODEL FOR TEACHING TO DESIGN COMPLEX HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENTS IN ARCHITECTURAL EDUCATION

Paper in proceeding, 2012

This paper presents how analytical procedures, design methodology and reflection/evaluation are used in architectural education/design studios as an integrated method for teaching and learning healthcare architecture. The case reported is from Chalmers School of Architecture. Healthcare is among the most complex architectural commissions there are. Many and often conflicting parameters have to be prioritized with many stakeholders involved. You are requested to create the highest architectural quality where you coordinate a good patient and healing environment, efficient and good working conditions and at the same time handle environmental sustainability and long-term facility interests. Furthermore, in hospital design both the scale and the briefs are large. During the last three years the Healthcare Studio has developed, tested and refined a studio curriculum that interactively combines analytical and systematic procedures with explorative design exercises, literature studies and organized reflection. The Healthcare Studio works with commissions that are a part of “real” planning processes in one Swedish County Council together with clients and users. The studio has a design driven approach for understanding and coordinating the complex assignment. Design workshops are organized with the purpose to use design as an explorative tool. Interwoven with the design work studio themes are organized as study visits, lectures or literature seminars. Shorter events for reflection and evaluation are arranged between themes. The quality of the result has been assessed by an internal and external architectural jury and client representatives in the healthcare sector. Evaluations of three years of this master’s studio show that the result are of high quality, both in relation to functional needs and architecture.