11th EAEA Envisioning Architecture: Design, Evaluation, Communication Conference in 2013

Track 2 | Experiential Simulation | The sensory perception of the built environment

The impact of the physical environment on patient’s psycho-social perception

ABSTRACT

The paper is a response to the National Health Policy drafted in India on cancer services which recommended that an ideal model of care should focus not only on clinical treatment, but relieve suffering by taking account of the practical, emotional, psychological and spiritual needs of patients and their families. While in Architecture, built spaces influences human behavior and affects the psychological and physiological perception ; in cancer care buildings with the importance given to the patient and his illness, the adverse condition of the building cause more harm than cure to the patient. This research paper tends to explore and evaluate the clinical environment on its role to provide sensory healing along with clinical cure based on the psycho-social perception of the patients.
The scope of the research is to identify healing design elements for the patient to recover and to include them as practical design guidelines specific to the Indian context. With the user-focused objective, the paper identifies healing design elements based on positive psycho-social response from patient .The research paper helps to see cancer care buildings, like any other typology, to provide homely ambiance valued with patient social behavior and cultural values.
The patient experience is measured and monitored by his sensory perception (by touch and sight) and his relationship with the built space by measuring the limits of physical accessibility and visual visibility within the space(fig 1). For the tracking mode, stimulation based software ‘Depthmap’ (developed by Tasos Varoudis at UCL’s Space group) is used in conjunction with patient behavior.

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AUTHOR

Kumari Periyandavar Meena

Department of Architecture, School of Architecture and Planning, Anna University, Chennai, India

Dr.Meena Kumari Periyandavar is Associate Professor at Department of Architecture, SAP, Anna University, Chennai having two decades of teaching experience with extensive association with architectural design innovation and strategies. Her primary interest is in Healthcare architecture and also issues relating to behavior and environment, research with cross ?disciplinary knowledge in behavior Architecture .Meenakumari has actively been contributing as teacher, advisor, and the board member to universities, and professional organizations and was member of Indian Policy and Planning committee, Ministry of Health and Family welfare, India in drafting cross-disciplinary education in Health care facilities planning and Management for Indian Universities.

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