Healing Architecture
Can architecture, aesthetics or ambience heal? Monika Kritzmöller is investigating this question as part of her empirical research project "Healing Architecture - a patient-centered diagnosis". Patients are at the center of this diagnosis, just as they are in medical treatment.
One of the reasons for her scientific work was the (personal) perception that aesthetics and ambience have no place in illness. Hospitals are functional, practical, and if design aspects are increasingly taken into account, they usually remain on a decorative level. The needs of patients are often disregarded in buildings. The sociological aspect is missing. There is no comparable study in Switzerland, which is why Monika Kritzmöller and her research and consulting institute "Trends+Positionen", in cooperation with the Hirslanden Klinik Stephanshorn St.Gallen and a group of well-known corporate partners in the practice, have taken on this task. She has provided scientific proof that architecture and ambience make an active contribution to recovery. This applies to all genders, as there is only one direction of travel: the hospital should be beneficial, reduce anxiety and minimize stress levels.
It's not just about colors: the decisive factor is a well-founded concept that goes far deeper than the designed surface. Two rooms in the Hirslanden Klinik Stephanshorn St.Gallen were redesigned as interpretations of the same basic ideas and their effect was studied over a period of five months. Colors, light sources, textiles and works of art were specifically used as a formal language to meet patients' needs. The quality of the materials was also essential for the new furnishings; the fabrics were of high quality, as the author had already investigated the effect of haptics in an earlier work. The result is also convincing from a business perspective: if, for example, a patient feels comfortable and rings the bell less once a day, this reduces the staff's working hours and consequently their costs.
Monika Kritzmöller deliberately focused on the room as an examination room, as an isolated unit had to be measured in order to provide scientific proof that it works and why it works. It is not only the atmosphere and ambience that promote healing; well-being also stands and falls with the patient's (free) scope for action and their trust in their surroundings. Architecture should support autonomy of action even in a restricted state. The diagnosis has proven that it works. This concept can also be easily applied to other healthcare facilities: Waiting rooms, treatment rooms at the doctor, dentist, etc.
400 books have been bound as limited editions with different materials used in the rooms. If you are interested, you can order a copy directly from the publisher, stating the desired edition: mail@flabelli-verlag.de.
