An exploration of the interior design process focusing on the intrusion of Biophilic Design in the interiors of a healthcare facility to promote patient wellbeing: A case study.

Abstract

The design process of the healthcare facility is a very complex process, which focuses on the wellbeing of the patient and staff member. Numerous research shows that contact with the natural environment helps in the recovery process of the patients. With that, we will look at the application of biophilic design, which focused on incorporating the experience of nature and their respective attributes, and the 14 patterns of biophilic design in the built environment. Looking at hospitals that focused on the application of biophilic design, the study will use the case study approach and unobtrusive research to collect the data. Subsequently, qualitative content analysis, visual analysis and conceptual analysis will be used to analyse the collected data. The first case study is performed on the Khoo Teck Puat Hospital situated in Singapore, an international hospital that focuses on the application of biophilic design principles as its main concept. The second case study is performed on the Umkhumbane Community Health Centre situated in Durban, a South African hospital that focuses on the application of biophilic design principles as its main concept. Both hospitals focus mainly on the application of design strategies that increase direct contact with the natural environment.