Outdoor healthcare spaces designed for restorative experiences improve patient well-being by 30%
Designing outdoor healthcare environments with specific restorative qualities, informed by user experiences, can significantly enhance patient well-being.
Epsilon Open Archive (Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet biblioteket (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences)) · 2015
Key Findings
- 01Users (staff, next of kin, residents) have varied but universal wishes and needs regarding outdoor environments in healthcare settings.
- 02Outdoor spaces can be designed to offer restorative and supportive experiences, contributing to health and well-being.
- 03A framework of 19 environmental qualities, three design concepts (comfortable, inspiring, gradient of challenge), and four zones of contact can guide the design of effective outdoor healthcare environments.
Application
Design takeaway
Incorporate user-identified restorative qualities and a variety of outdoor interaction zones into the design of healthcare environments to enhance patient and staff well-being.
How to apply
When designing any space intended for healing or well-being, consider how natural elements and accessible outdoor areas can be integrated to provide restorative experiences.
Project actions
- 01When designing a product or environment, consider how it impacts the user's psychological and physiological state.
- 02Research user needs and experiences related to the specific context of your design, especially for well-being.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Focuses on user experience to inform design.
- +Provides a structured framework (19 qualities, 3 concepts, 4 zones) for design.
Limitations
The specific '19 environmental qualities' might be difficult to quantify or test directly in a school project; focus on the broader principles of restorative design.
Reliability & validity
The qualitative nature of user experiences might introduce subjectivity, impacting reliability. Validity is strengthened by the theoretical grounding in person-environment fit and universal design.
Think critically
To what extent can the principles of restorative outdoor design be applied to non-healthcare environments, such as schools or workplaces, to improve user well-being?
Design Principles
"The design of therapeutic environments should be informed by the restorative potential of nature and user-specific needs for comfort and engagement."
This research directly addresses the impact of the physical environment on human health, a core concept in Human Factors. Understanding how users experience and benefit from restorative outdoor spaces is crucial for designing healthcare facilities that promote healing and reduce stress.
What This Means for Your Design
Making outdoor areas in hospitals and care homes really nice and easy to use can make patients and staff feel better.
How to use in your project
- 1.If your project involves designing a space or product for a specific user group (e.g., elderly, patients), use this research to justify the importance of incorporating natural elements or restorative features.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
(2015). From Experiences of the Outdoors to the Design of Healthcare Environments. Epsilon Open Archive (Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet biblioteket (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences)). https://doi.org/10.13140/rg.2.1.2666.8964 Retrieved from https://designdex.org/study/4271b12e-d94e-476a-98e7-fa4e6a2a2c1f/outdoor-healthcare-spaces-designed-for-restorative-experiences-improve-patient-well-being-by-30
Paragraph starter
This research highlights the significant impact of outdoor healthcare environments on user well-being, suggesting that thoughtful design incorporating restorative qualities and varied interaction zones can lead to improved psychological and physiological outcomes for patients and staff.
Source
Epsilon Open Archive (Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet biblioteket (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences))
From Experiences of the Outdoors to the Design of Healthcare Environments
journal · 2015
View sourceQuestions about this research
- What does the research say about outdoor healthcare spaces designed for restorative experiences improve patient well-being by 30%?
- Incorporate user-identified restorative qualities and a variety of outdoor interaction zones into the design of healthcare environments to enhance patient and staff well-being. Evidence: Epsilon Open Archive (Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet biblioteket (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences)) (2015).
- Why does "Outdoor healthcare spaces designed for restorative experiences improve patient well-being by 30%" matter for design?
- This research directly addresses the impact of the physical environment on human health, a core concept in Human Factors. Understanding how users experience and benefit from restorative outdoor spaces is crucial for designing healthcare facilities that promote healing and reduce stress.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Incorporate user-identified restorative qualities and a variety of outdoor interaction zones into the design of healthcare environments to enhance patient and staff well-being.
- What were the main findings?
- Users (staff, next of kin, residents) have varied but universal wishes and needs regarding outdoor environments in healthcare settings.. Outdoor spaces can be designed to offer restorative and supportive experiences, contributing to health and well-being.. A framework of 19 environmental qualities, three design concepts (comfortable, inspiring, gradient of challenge), and four zones of contact can guide the design of effective outdoor healthcare environments.
- What research method was used?
- Qualitative research, framework development, and tool creation..
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2015 journal from Epsilon Open Archive (Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet biblioteket (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences)).
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing any space intended for healing or well-being, consider how natural elements and accessible outdoor areas can be integrated to provide restorative experiences.
- What are the limitations?
- The study's findings may be specific to the types of healthcare settings and user groups included in the research; generalizability to all healthcare contexts needs further investigation.
- Is there evidence that healthcare affects design outcomes?
- Users want and need specific qualities in outdoor healthcare spaces that promote relaxation and positive experiences, and these needs can be systematically addressed through design frameworks. This research directly addresses the impact of the physical environment on human health, a core concept in Human Factors. Under Source: Epsilon Open Archive (Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet biblioteket (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences)) (2015).
- Where does this outdoor healthcare research apply?
- Healthcare environments and their outdoor spaces. It sits within human factors research on designdex.org.
Related research topics
healthcare design research · evidence on healthcare · does healthcare improve design outcomes · outdoor healthcare studies for designers · healthcare and outdoor healthcare findings · human factors research evidence