Course syllabus
Healthcare Architecture 2
Lp 2, Year 2
Credits: 15
Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering
Modules: no
ADP: yes
Contact details
Teachers:
CC Cristiana Caira, Examiner Healthcare Studio 2 (HS2)
GL Göran Lindahl, Examiner Healthcare Studio 1 (HS1)
HM Henrik Magnusson, Tutor team 1
FR Filip Rem, Tutor team 1
ML Marie Larsson, Tutor team 2
LT Lin Tan, Tutor team 2
Guest teachers:
JE Johanna Eriksson
Representatives from Region Skåne
Caterina Frisone, associate Professor IUAV University of Venice (Italy)
Camilla Starkenberg, Link arkitektur
Elke Miedema, lecturer and researcher at Inholland University of Applied Sciences, NL
And other invited lecturers with academic and/ or professional background
Technical support and admin:
SA Ásgeir Sigurjónsson
+46(0)76 407 1208
asgeir.sigurjonsson@chalmers.se
Introduction / Course purpose
The aim of the course is to disseminate academic and profession-based knowledge concerning buildings for healthcare and to support the development of the ability to design buildings for healthcare activities integrated with applicable and relevant contextual aspects (e.g., sustainability, socio-cultural aspects, briefs, programs, laws, and regulations etc.).
Designing spaces for healthcare is one of the most challenging architectural design commissions architects and planners are faced with as it entails intricate design tasks in which many and often conflicting aspects and parameters must be evaluated, prioritized and tested against a variety of stakeholders affected by the design project in focus. In these projects, architects are needed to consider quality of design, coordinate design in relationship to patient needs and at the same time consider staff and work environment requirements. Challenging and sometimes complex work conditions, requirements for effective and efficient spatial design related to clinical needs, care logistics, advanced technical systems etc. also need to be considered.
During the course the students will design large scale, complex and sustainable healthcare buildings integrated into the surrounding environment and urban setting The projects will be related to commissions that will require interaction with real stakeholders and clients.
Specific entry requirements
The large scale and the complex brief within the course is recommended for students with prior experience in complex building design.
Learning objectives and syllabus
After completion of the course the student should be able to:
- Knowledge and understanding
Demonstrate advanced knowledge about history and design approaches/principles of built environment for healthcare as a part of the professional, cultural and societal context.
Demonstrate advanced knowledge and critically examine the concept evidence-based design.
- Skills and abilities
Be able to design facilities creatively and critically for healthcare activities that takes its starting point in a sustainable development from environmental, social and economic aspects.
Be able to apply and test a design driven work method for complex commissions.
Demonstrate the capacity for teamwork with a complex brief, combining spaces for care, patient experiences, work environment considerations, logistics and systems thinking.
Be able to apply concepts of "Future proofing"-generality, flexibility and adaptability.
Be able to integrate structural design and technical requirements that are essential to fulfil the goals of sustainability and future proofing.
Be able to design healthcare buildings as integrated into the surrounding environment and urban setting, interacting with real stakeholders and clients.
Demonstrate the capacity to communicate to different stakeholders and colleagues, via interviews, meetings and presentations, using the entire repertoire of architectural media and methods, to present the reasoning and work conclusions.
- Ability of assessment and attitude
Demonstrate the ability to adopt a holistic view in making judgements and appraisals informed by the relevant disciplinary, social, and ethical aspects and to integrate the needs of all user groups as a fundament for proposals of long-term and high aesthetic quality.
Be able to show intention, commitment, and ability to identify needs for further knowledge and undertake on-going development of the student’s skills.
Course design / content
The course works with context-rich "real" commissions that are a part of the planning processes in one Swedish Region together with clients and users. A typical project is a hospital site, a new building, an extension or refurbishment with a significant scale and a complex brief.
Students work in the very early stage of the project and can therefore nourish from the engagement and interests from the client and other stakeholders. The student’s projects might also have a chance to influence the client's process and get opportunities to engage a broader range of stakeholders.
The course takes its starting point in a combination of explorative design exercises with analytical and systematic approaches and procedures, literature studies and organized reflection-workshops on design decision-making and choices made.
There are five lecture blocks (LB) at the beginning of the course. These consist of lectures and design workshops. Each subsequent lecture block increases in complexity and builds upon the knowledge gained in previous blocks. Physical attendance is compulsory, and no digital links will be provided for the lectures.
LB1 Introduction to healthcare architecture and site visits
LB2 Evidence based design, health promotive design and findings from research
LB3 Understanding of the brief and stakeholder’s requirements
LB4 Analysis of the site and context
LB5 Generality and flexibility in shell and core design
Key milestone as follows:
Week 45 - Course start and group work
Week 49 - Mid-critique presentation
2026, Week 2 - Final report submission
2026, Week 3 - Final presentation
Organisation
The course has a design driven approach for understanding and coordinating the design project assignment.
- The course includes compulsory participation in study visits, lectures, tutorials and seminars, interwoven with the design work.
- Reflections/workshops connected to different themes are planned, to ensure the input of skills such as critical reflection, theory and technology into the development of the design project.
- Research is an important driver in future development of design of buildings and facilities for healthcare. Research is integrated with course content.
- The design project is organized in work stages which reflect phases in professional practice. The purpose of this is to drive an articulated design process. The design proposal is developed in smaller student groups, to train the interpersonal skills of collaboration, communication and critique.
- During the design process, and connected to the different work stages/phases, compulsory presentations and critique sessions will be arranged to train the ability to present, motivate and critically give and receive feedback from teachers, external critics, clients and other students in order to further develop the design skills as well as the design projects.
Through lectures, laboratories, study visits, interviews, design work, tutorials and critics, students are trained in both practice-related, problem-oriented approach and advanced design thinking.
Collaborative group work applies, but grades will be allocated on individual basis. This takes into account participation in studio work and project groups, presentations and the final report.
A studio space is allocated on Level 5 (map provided separately).
Two tutoring sessions per groups weekly, 45min each session.
Schedule
TimeEdit / Canvas
Detailed course PM will be presented 2 weeks before course start.
Integrated learning
Healthcare Studio 2 (HS2) is closely related to Healthcare Studio 1 (HS1) and the two courses will be sharing lectures, workshops and both presentation days. Students from HS1 and HS2 will be working in project groups together, on the same design project assignment. Students from HS2 will have a few dedicated assignments with higher complexity, and additional deliverables.
At the beginning of the course, students will be working in the following groups:
- G1/HS1 Brief and flows
- G2/HS1 PTS Standard rooms
- G3/HS1 Drawings, site plan, sections, masterplan
- G4/HS1 Digital and Physical model
- G5/HS2 Interviews and case study analysis
At LB3, students from G5/HS2 will present findings from:
- Interviews with staff from the existing Breast Cancer Centre Malmö
- Interviews with patients and staff from Kraftens Hus, GBG
Complete interviews will be made available to all students HS1/HS2 in a shared folder. Digital and physical meetings for the interviews will be arranged by the teachers before the start of the course.
At LB4, students from G5/HS2 will present findings from:
- Case studies analysis- 3 Maggie centers+ Skandionkliniken+ Centre for Cancer and Health in Copenhagen, with focus on: relation to urban context, architectural concept, brief organisation, floorplans.
At the end of the course, as part of the Final report and the Final critique presentation, all students from HS2 are required to describe the typical patient/ relative/ staff journey through their building, reflecting on the initial findings from interviews. This task will be individual for each HS2 student.
Communication & Resources
Canvas will be used to communicate and share all material and deliverables during the course.
Examination form
Detailed deliverables for each presentation will be described in a separate document.
The complete list of deliverables (presentations as well as the final report) must be handed in on time as well as active participation at all critique sessions, lectures, seminars, study visits, tutorials and teamwork is required.
The evaluation criteria are:
- The project’s vision and aim.
- Context.
- Sustainability.
- Concept.
- Design.
- Method.
- Presentation.
- Participation and teamwork.
The grade is based on the evaluation criteria A-H.
Course literature
https://www.chalmers.se/centrum/cva/publikationer/outdoor-and-indoor-healthcare-environments/
Roger S. Ulrich, et al. A Review of the Research Literature on Evidence-Based Healthcare Design, HERD Vol. 1, No. 3 SPRING 2008
Elke Miedema, HEALTH-PROMOTIVE BUILDING DESIGN Exploring perspectives on building design for health promotion in healthcare settings, 2020
The Architecture of Hope: Maggie's Cancer Caring Centres Hardcover – March 23, 2010
by Charles Jencks (Editor), Edwin Heathcote
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S027795361930557X
Changes made since the last occasion
The structure for the Masterprogram at Chalmers is completely new from Fall 2023. Compared to Fall 2024, HS2 will more integrated with HS 1.
Course summary:
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