08.00 - Registration opens

Opening keynote panel

Wolfson Theatre

Supported by

08.45 - 10.15

Session 18

 - 

Chair: Jaime Bishop, Director, Fleet Architects; Chair, Architects for Health, UK

Jaime Bishop

Director, Fleet Architects; Chair, Architects for Health, UK

Jaime is a proven project designer, competition winner and studio leader. During his professional career he has been responsible for multiple projects with values ranging between £8 and £120 million and was one of three associate directors responsible for the management of a 65-person firm under a managing director. He is an experienced all-round designer with specialist skills in healthcare and has sat on the executive board of Architects for Health (AfH) since 2006. He has significant experience as the lead architect in major PFI schemes including the preparation of a reference project for a $2 billion teaching hospital in Adelaide, Australia. He has been a visiting tutor at various universities since 2002, including Nottingham, Cardiff and London Metropolitan. Since 2012, Jaime Bishop and Richard Henson have been teaching third-year degree level students at London South Bank University and established their studio, The Transpontine Laboratory, based at the university, in 2014. Jaime was educated at the Royal College of Art, Bath University and the TU Delft Highrise Scholarship. He has been ARB registered and a member of RIBA since 2006. He is a recognised figure in the healthcare sector with connections throughout the industry. Jaime has detailed knowledge of traditional and private finance initiative (PFI) contracts, fee negotiation and project cost control. Jaime has sat on the board of the City and Hackney NHS Clinical Commissioning Group and, social enterprise East London Integrated Care. He has also served as an elected governor at the Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

08.45

Opening remarks

09.00

Hospital 2.0: Design and delivery that will support world-class patient care

Natalie Forrest, Senior responsible officer, New Hospital Programme (Department for Health and Social Care), UK

Natalie Forrest

Senior responsible officer, New Hospital Programme (Department for Health and Social Care), UK

Doug Baldock, Technical services director, New Hospital Programme (NHS England), UK

Doug Baldock

Technical services director, New Hospital Programme (NHS England), UK

Alpa Patel, Interim integration director, New Hospital Programme (NHS England), UK

Alpa Patel

Interim integration director, New Hospital Programme (NHS England), UK

Andrew Parks, Managing consultant, Mott MacDonald, UK

Andrew Parks

Managing consultant, Mott MacDonald, UK

Fiona Lennon, Deputy clinical director, New Hospital Programme (NHS England), UK

Fiona Lennon

Deputy clinical director, New Hospital Programme (NHS England), UK

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Hospital 2.0: Design and delivery that will support world-class patient care

Abstract Copy

Following the New Hospital Programme review, the UK Government confirmed funding and a realistic timetable to put the Programme on track to deliver all of its hospital projects. Now, the New Hospital Programme can pivot to delivery at pace.

Hosted by senior members of the New Hospital Programme team, this panel will discuss how Hospital 2.0, a new, innovative approach to hospital design and delivery, has been developed to meet the needs of patients, staff and the wider public now and in the changing years ahead.

Speakers will cover the technical design of Hospital 2.0, presenting case studies that demonstrate how the standardised way of designing, costing and delivering new hospitals will support NHS staff to deliver for its patients.

With extensive engagement from clinical, workforce, patients and the public, the session will also discuss how this has influenced design and integration into local communities. 

Learning Objectives

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10.15 - 10.45Video+Poster Gallery, exhibition, coffee and networking

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Select a Stream

• Stream 6Art and architecture
• Stream 7Science, technology and digital transformation
• Stream 8Tertiary care
• Stream 9Climate-smart healthcare
• Stream 10Project showcase

• Art and architecture

  Wolfson Theatre

  Supported by

  

  10.45 - 12.30

  Session 19

   - Healthy communities and the urban hospital

  

  Chair: Paul Bell, Partner, Ryder Architecture, UK

  

  Paul Bell

  Partner, Ryder Architecture, UK

  Paul is a partner at Ryder, established in Newcastle in 1953, with offices across the UK, Hong Kong, Vancouver and Amsterdam. Projects range in value from £50,000 to £300 million, including civic, education, healthcare, infrastructure, leisure, manufacturing, office, residential, retail and science sectors. Paul completed his architectural education at the Mackintosh School of Architecture, Glasgow in 1992, and with more than 20 years' experience in the healthcare sector, leads Ryder’s healthcare portfolio, which includes the award-winning Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary and the Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice in Glasgow. In 2006, he established Ryder’s Glasgow team and led the early development of the Hong Kong team. Prior to joining Ryder, he worked with Terry Farrell for 11 years in London and Hong Kong, and has spoken around the world on sustainable healthcare design.

  10.45

  Managing risk to deliver world-class acute service replacement hospitals

  Hank Adams, Global director, health practice, HDR, USA

  

  Hank Adams

  Global director, health practice, HDR, USA

  As HDR’s Global director of health, Hank provides the direction and inspiration for the firm’s skilled and imaginative thought leaders who work with healthcare clients to successfully solve the universal challenges of health and wellness. Hank relies on his own 35+ years of experience as a healthcare principal, project manager, healthcare planner and business developer to guide HDR’s planners, strategists, clinical specialists, economic analysts, designers and architects in seven countries around the world in using evidence-based design and best practices to foster our ultimate goal: improving health and wellness. He is a frequent speaker, columnist and advocate for human-centred design.

  Michael Street, Senior principal, health planning, HDR, USA

  

  Michael Street

  Senior principal, health planning, HDR, USA

  With over 25 years of experience, Michael has been instrumental in the design of numerous healthcare facilities. His healthcare experience encompasses a broad spectrum of domestic and international projects in both the ambulatory and acute care environments, as well as comprehensive facility master planning. He also has extensive experience using contemporary computer technology to communicate design ideas, which simplifies decision-making, expedites project development and provides continuous visual quality assurance throughout the project.

  Rachael Patel, UK studio leader, HDR, UK

  

  Rachael Patel

  UK studio leader, HDR, UK

  Rachael is the studio leader for the HDR's architecture practice in London, with over 20 years of professional experience, spanning Canada, the US and the UK, and across the multifaceted landscape of healthcare, architecture, infrastructure, project delivery and strategy. Rachael is focused on providing tangible and practical solutions from an individual to a system level, and improving the landscape of the built environment. With each engagement, Rachael brings a unique approach and leadership style to provide problem solving and analysis, and positively impact the planning and design of her client's infrastructure projects.

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  Managing risk to deliver world-class acute service replacement hospitals

  Abstract Copy

  Significant infrastructure investment has become increasingly necessary, but also increasingly risky, in our dynamic and complex global economy. Financial inflation, supply chain instability, labour shortages and more frequent natural disasters caused by climate change have created uncertainty and instability like we’ve never seen before.
  
  An inability to tolerate lapses in the critical services they provide, coupled with the relentless advance of medical technologies has put healthcare organisations in a precarious position when considering capital improvement. How can we design a process in which estates, designers, constructors and operators balance their respective short- and long-term risks to deliver world-class care environments with the highest certainty of outcome?
  
  The first step is recognising healthcare providers as anchor institutions that provide social value in the communities they serve. They have amassed significant equity in their respective 'brands' and they shoulder great responsibility to negotiate legal and financial terms that can maximise the value of their investment. Second, we must seriously consider the fundamental purpose of hospitals in our communities and what services they are actually providing. Decanting lower-acuity care away from monolithic medical centres could effectively “shift spending from reactive care in hospitals to more proactive care in the community setting”, as noted by Lord Darzi’s 'Independent Investigation of the NHS in England’.
  
  In this session, we will share examples of exemplar hospitals from across the world, conceived and delivered in a variety of different ways. From the new hospital in Parnassus Heights at the University of San Francisco and the new Humber River Hospital outside Toronto to NHS England’s New Hospital Programme (and a few other examples in between), we will identify the risks and the trade-offs in developing new hospitals from multiple stakeholder perspectives, including the owner, the designer, the builder, the operator, the care provider and the patient.
  
  They will share the tools and techniques used to build consensus among this diverse set of stakeholders, including a range of teaming arrangements and inclusive design techniques and technologies. They will detail the trade-offs and benefits of each, all while maintaining the overarching goal to provide world-class care in each of their respective communities, in the hope that they can inspire and influence the exemplar projects being undertaken today.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Identify the risks facing major health infrastructure investment from multiple perspectives
  • Recognise low-acuity programmes in current hospitals that could be decanted farther into communities
  • Understand the pros and cons of different procurement and financial funding models

  11.05

  New Footscray Hospital: Delivering a new type of health facility within a public-private partnership framework

  Paul Curry, Director, COX Architecture, Australia

  

  Paul Curry

  Director, COX Architecture, Australia

  Paul has a depth of experience and background across projects spanning diverse sectors, including significant residential, hotel, sports, civic, educational, retail, commercial, justice and health. This breadth of knowledge allows him to embed a richness and design knowledge on every project and makes him uniquely adept to lead large teams throughout all stages of the design and delivery process. Paul has led numerous significant, award-winning projects including the new Footscray Hospital, Melbourne Square and the Christchurch Justice and Emergency Services Precinct.

  Patrick Ness, Director, COX Architecture, Australia

  

  Patrick Ness

  Director, COX Architecture, Australia

  In his primary role of concept designer for architectural and urban planning projects, Patrick has been involved in designing many of Australia’s most renowned buildings as well as significant international exemplars. Providing design expertise across health, commercial, sports, education and transport sectors, he is an enthusiastic advocate for the thoughtful and appropriate application of architecture to enhance the way we live and relate to our built environment. He is particularly passionate about urban regeneration and the knitting together of communities and precincts.

  Mark Mitchell, Principal and Health sector lead, Billard Leece Partnership, Australia

  

  Mark Mitchell

  Principal and Health sector lead, Billard Leece Partnership, Australia

  Mark has been instrumental in the growth and specialisation of the healthcare sector at BLP. As Principal and Health lead, he is recognised as an innovative thought leader who shares his expertise globally. With a portfolio of successful large-scale (exceeding $1.5 billion) healthcare projects in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong, Mark champions a collaborative design approach that engages all stakeholders through the development process. He facilitates transformational human-centred design outcomes that move beyond standardised environments, creating a hybrid of typologies and spaces, where patients, families, healthcare staff and communities flourish and heal.

  Richard Osborne, Head of Europe, Plenary, UK

  

  Richard Osborne

  Head of Europe, Plenary, UK

  Since August 2023, Richard has led the Plenary Europe team of finance, construction, and facilities management professionals with a mandate to develop greenfield infrastructure across Europe. He joined Plenary following a highly successful 10 years structuring and negotiating greenfield project finance infrastructure projects across the UK, Ireland and Europe. He has a deep understanding of public infrastructure delivery, having overseen the development, financing and implementation of over €4bn of greenfield infrastructure across the region. Prior to his infrastructure investment career, Richard has 12 years’ industry experience as a civil engineer and is a Chartered Civil Engineer (CEng MICE) developing public infrastructure in the UK.

  + View abstract

  New Footscray Hospital: Delivering a new type of health facility within a public-private partnership framework

  Abstract Copy

  The new Footscray Hospital is the Victorian Government’s largest ever single health infrastructure investment which seeks to deliver a new type of community health infrastructure within a public-private partnership (PPP) framework that has been largely designed and delivered throughout a global pandemic.
  
  Reflecting the important history of the existing 'People’s Hospital' - a hospital advocated for by the local community - the design for the new AU$1.5 billion hospital draws on its heritage as a community asset to provide Melbourne’s west with a new state-of-the-art facility that remains true to its heritage as a hospital in and of its community with the engagement of local community members throughout the design process. In turn, the project has sought to address many of the political and cultural challenges that have faced it, combined with the after-effects of the pandemic.
  
  Seeking to create a new ecosystem of health for the western suburbs of Melbourne, the design and brief approach has drawn on its key stakeholders spanning the Victorian Government, Western Health (health operator), Plenary Health (sponsor, investor and asset manager) and the design team led by COX Architecture and Billard Leece Partnership to create much more than a hospital.
  
  Drawing on the benefits of the PPP and ability to create more than a hospital, the design sought to create an enduring community asset for everyone. It aims to create a place for the community in which its members can interact with the precinct as a means of living well, not just a place to simply get better. The new Footscray Hospital includes a variety of additional spaces for the community and every day ranging from a central green space, cafes, retail, a childcare centre, gymnasium, allied health, medical clinics, education and research spaces.
  
  The new Footscray Hospital will open late 2025 to commence its 25 years in operation as a PPP model, which will see the facility operated and maintained in a close partnership between Plenary Health, the Victorian Government and Western Health.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Opportunities to improve health design and delivery through a public-private partnership
  • Questioning the role that a hospital can play in the community and how a public-private partnership can help facilitate this
  • Understanding a design approach for a holistic health approach, utilising a diverse stakeholder and investment team

  11.25

  Urban healing – a big campus vision anchored in pragmatism

  Michael Banman, Senior principal/Design director North America, Stantec, Canada

  

  Michael Banman

  Senior principal/Design director North America, Stantec, Canada

  An award-winning architect, Michael is known for his ability to see beyond the usual. In his role, he leads design strategy and inspiration for a wide range of building types across the practice, including institutional, commercial, healthcare, hospitality, academic and cultural. Michael is a skilled designer with a disciplined approach to building science, construction and cost management. His thoughtful approach to changing social landscapes, culture, sustainability and craft enable Michael to meet client demands with both architectural and technical excellence. Michael and his team have designed spaces for the Manitoba Museum, Manitoba Centennial Centre, University of Manitoba, RRC Polytech, the First Nations University of Canada and City of Winnipeg. Currently, his integrated team of architects, engineers and sustainability specialists are working on FortWhyte Alive’s all-mass timber Buffalo Crossing. Aiming to be Manitoba’s most sustainable building, it has achieved the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) Zero Carbon Building Design Standard and is targeting Passive House Certification. When he’s not designing spaces, Michael teaches professional practice at the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Architecture and has been a visiting critic and lecturer at Carleton University, University of Manitoba, Texas Tech University, University of Calgary, University of British Columbia and British Columbia Institute of Technology.

  Michael Moxam, Vice president and Practice leader for design culture, Stantec, Canada

  

  Michael Moxam

  Vice president and Practice leader for design culture, Stantec, Canada

  Michael Moxam is Vice president and Practice leader for design culture with Stantec Architecture. He is committed to excellence in all aspects of the design process. His experience in the design and development of complex project types is characterised by a commitment to design excellence, an emphasis on a collaborative, integrated design process and a desire to redefine established typologies. His approach focuses on research and analysis of factors such as community context, history, site, landscape, topography and environmental context. Michael's goal is the creation of environments that inspire and enhance community connectivity and city building. Michael’s award-winning portfolio of work spans multiple sectors and includes Hennick Bridgepoint Health (Civic Trust Award and Governor General's Medal in Architecture), Science Commons, University of Lethbridge, George Brown College’s Waterfront Health Science Campus (Architectural Record, Good Design is Good Business), Peterborough Regional Health Centre (Architectural Record Good Design is Good Business), Anishnawbe Community Health Centre and The University Health Network – Krembil Discovery Neuroscience Research Tower.

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  Urban healing – a big campus vision anchored in pragmatism

  Abstract Copy

  The Bannatyne Campus Master Plan is a visionary 50-year development ‘road map’ aimed at revitalising a crucial health, education and research precinct in downtown Winnipeg, Manitoba. This comprehensive plan addresses critical facility deficiencies and supports urgent programme growth, while reintroducing landscape as a principal organising element, resulting in clear campus connectivity and reconnecting the campus to the city. By thoroughly understanding the existing building fabric and its long-term capabilities, the plan outlines a pragmatic, step-by-step methodology to achieve its vision over five decades. A key goal is to guide the administration on strategic spending, avoiding the common pitfall of investing heavily in buildings that have outlived their usefulness – a challenge faced by urban campuses worldwide.
  
  Historically significant for its contributions within the city to healthcare, specialised cancer care and medical education, the Bannatyne Campus is home to the Health Sciences Centre, CancerCare Manitoba and the University of Manitoba’s Rady Faculty of Health Sciences. The campus faces challenges with outdated facilities, operational inefficiencies and inadequate infrastructure that hinder its ability to meet current and future demands. The master plan proposes a transformative approach, enhancing connectivity and creating meaningful amenity spaces. Key components include re-establishing key public thoroughfares, the creation of interconnected green spaces and the introduction of a central ‘garden heart’. These initiatives aim to foster a cohesive environment that supports clinical care, education, research and community engagement.
  
  Prioritising long-term goals
  The Bannatyne Campus Master Plan seeks to optimise capital resources effectively while envisioning a bold future for the campus as an integrated precinct in the city. This presentation will explore the strategic vision, planning process and anticipated outcomes of the master plan, highlighting its potential to transform the future of health, research and education in Winnipeg.
  
  Deep understanding of existing building fabric
  The master plan addresses the challenge of ageing buildings through a deep understanding of what existing structures should and should not attempt to accommodate, and by planning timely demolitions and new interventions in a logical, pragmatic sequence. This approach aims to align the campus with modern standards for patient care, education and research.
  
  A pragmatic approach
  The master plan’s long-term redevelopment goals are designed to be cost-effective, mitigating the impact of inflation on construction and operational costs. By focusing on sustainable and efficient design, the plan seeks to minimise financial strain while achieving its objectives.

  Learning Objectives

  • Understand the strategic vision and planning process of the Bannatyne Campus Master Plan, including its goals for revitalising the health and education precinct and how that process could be applied to other projects
  • Identify the common challenges faced by campuses, such as outdated facilities and operational inefficiencies, and learn about new solutions for enhancing campus connectivity and creating meaningful amenity spaces
  • Explore the long-term redevelopment goals of the master plan and the value they bring, focusing on sustainable and efficient design to optimise capital resources and align the campus with modern standards for patient care, education and research

  11.45

  New acute hospital in Midlands completes: Setting a new standard in clinical healthcare design

  Jane Ho, Regional practice director, Health, HKS, UK

  

  Jane Ho

  Regional practice director, Health, HKS, UK

  Jane leads the Health Team for London, Europe and Middle East at HKS. As a principal lead on clinical design, Jane enjoys taking a ‘patient-first’ approach to her design solutions, with her primary focus on the harmonious integration of concept and functionality with client and end-user needs. Jane brings expertise in user engagement and collaboration and has a wealth of healthcare facility planning, design and delivery experience from NHS trust, private health, specialist care and research. From current private and public sector clients, such as Cleveland Clinic and the new Midland Metropolitan University Hospital to prior HKS experience in research and education institutions, Jane sensitively designs for flexibility, adaptability and holistic user experience. Jane successfully completed a Master of Science in Planning Buildings for Health and is a RIBA registered architect.

  + View abstract

  New acute hospital in Midlands completes: Setting a new standard in clinical healthcare design

  Abstract Copy

  The Midland Metropolitan University Hospital (MMUH) is a brand new state-of-the-art acute hospital for Sandwell and Birmingham NHS Trust. Bringing acute and emergency care from two separate hospitals into one centralised hub, MMUH is designed to support operational efficiency and technological innovation, while enhancing the patient and staff experience. The new nine-storey hospital spans 84,000 square metres, and provides both a purpose-built accident and emergency (A&E) department with imaging and diagnostic services and a dedicated children’s A&E department and assessment unit. The hospital provides 700 inpatient beds, of which 50 per cent are single room. It also has 13 operating theatres for emergency, planned and maternity surgery.
  
  The hospital boasts an efficient spatial arrangement with clinical facilities arranged around two internal courtyards. Less heavily serviced ward accommodation is above the clinical facilities, with two levels of car parking below. MMUH’s Winter Garden provides a peaceful and therapeutic space to promote healing, relaxation and reflection. It covers five of the nine floors across the east-facing side of the building. The Winter Garden’s ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) roof offers a highly transparent, lightweight and sustainable façade, bringing natural light into the heart of the building, while offering impressive views back out over Birmingham and the surrounding countryside.
  
  To optimise future flexibility, the hospital design is based on a single structural planning grid. This accommodates a wide range of clinical and functional spaces and can be easily adapted to support the delivery of new service models and working practices, as medical technology and acute healthcare needs evolve. Individual patient rooms and bays can also be easily adjusted to accommodate different isolation requirements, improving infection control at the same time as maintaining ease of access and visibility for staff.
  
  Sustainability is at the heart of the building design. The Winter Garden is south-facing and passively ventilated, and the hospital also incorporates intelligent lighting, Solar PV panels and water conservation measures. The building design includes a unitised façade system, and components, including the Winter Garden roof and bridge links, have been prefabricated off-site, making it an exemplar in the use of modern methods of construction. MMUH has been awarded BREEAM 'Very Good’ and falls within the top 10 per cent of non-domestic UK buildings in terms of its sustainability performance.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Innovation in healthcare design
  • Patient-centred design
  • Future flexibility

  12.05

  Panel discussion

  12.30 - 14.00Video+Poster Gallery, workshop, exhibition, lunch and networking

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  Lunchtime workshops

  + View info

  14.00 - 15.30

  Session 20

   - Cancer care by design

  

  Chair: Richard Mann, Healthcare and science leader / Director, AECOM, UK and Ireland

  

  Richard Mann

  Healthcare and science leader / Director, AECOM, UK and Ireland

  Richard has 25 years of experience gained while working for client organisations, contractors and design consultants. During this time he has worked in the UK, Europe, Asia and the US, delivering a number of high-profile projects across a variety of sectors. He is passionate about good building design. Richard brings the knowledge from the diverse projects he has delivered to ensure process improvement – quality and value-driven efficiency in design are at the core of the projects he supports.

  14.00

  Embreathment, embodiment, environmental enrichment and improved oncology outcomes in Israel’s newest cancer centre

  Tye Farrow, Founding partner, Farrow Partners, Canada

  

  Tye Farrow

  Founding partner, Farrow Partners, Canada

  Working at the intersection of architecture and neuroscience, Tye Farrow is a world-recognised pioneer tackling how what we create either gives or causes health. With award-winning projects around the globe that enact salutogenic design – design that actively incites health – he is the first Canadian architect to have earned a Master of Neuroscience Applied to Architecture (University of Venice Iuav), and has a Master of Architecture in Urban Design (Harvard University), and a Bachelor of Architecture degree (University of Toronto). Tye is a sought-after speaker who has presented to respected organisations and universities in over 45 cities on six continents, including the Salk Institute, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Stanford University Medical School, The Mayo Clinic, and The Cleveland Clinic, and has been called a global leader making “a significant contribution to health and humanity through the medium of architecture”. His bestselling book, 'Constructing Health: How the Built Environment Enhances Your Mind’s Health', explores how our mind, and its various sensory systems, interacts with our built environment to create the conditions in which we can thrive and prosper, and bridges the gap in knowledge between the therapeutic medical world, the design community and public, to reveal how the intentional shaping of our environment can support our physical and neurological wellbeing. Acclaimed by both professional and public critics, the book has been described as “a landmark work that will undoubtedly influence the future of architectural design”.

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  Embreathment, embodiment, environmental enrichment and improved oncology outcomes in Israel’s newest cancer centre

  Abstract Copy

  Today's medical spaces need to be designed to surpass mere technical medical treatments, to enhance the entire human experience. The Shaare Zedek Medical Center’s (SZMC) flagship cancer centre for Israel, combines several fields of knowledge in creating an "enhanced, enriched healthcare environment" by leveraging scientifically-grounded, multisensory, neuro-wellness interventions, to increase the full clinical human experience.
  
  One's physical environment impacts mental and physical wellbeing, referred to as 'environmental enrichment' (EE). Rosenzweig ,Bennett and Diamond showed that immersive physical environments can alter the biochemical milieu and neuroanatomical structure of the brain (#Rosenzweig). Furthermore, 'embreathment', a relatively new concept in embodied cognition, is the representation of one’s physiological breath, in immersive experiences, used to enhance presence and body awareness – examples include body scan meditation and progressive muscle relaxation.
  
  Embreathment can be used to reduce claustrophobia and associated negative cognitions, including feelings of restriction and suffocation, by enhancing agency, sustained hopefulness and interoception, where one’s ability to act is restricted.
  
  In cancer centres, claustrophobia in MRI suites presents a significant psychological challenge in delivering optimal medical treatments. However, using the representation of one's breath to increase the sense of control has been shown to decrease one's sense of claustrophobia.
  
  A unique aspect of the SZMC cancer centre builds on these principles, with scientifically-grounded, neuro-wellness interventions based on pioneering research in multisensory integration. Recent neuroscientific breakthroughs have uncovered new insights into the senses and the bidirectional effect of the mind on the body (top-down) and vice versa (bottom-up), such as one's perception of pain. Historically, pain triggered physicians to prescribe analgesics; yet chronic and acute pain are known to be complex phenomena, with a subjective veneer. Different people can experience the same physical nociceptive stimulus, yet report differing levels of pain. Moreover, it is known that the senses influence our pain perception.
  
  For example, the use of external visual and auditory multisensory feedback immersive systems that react to one's breath in real time, through a process known as embreathment, have been shown to induce mind-body sensory substitution, which modifies one's internal awareness.
  
  This presentation will outline: how to develop multisensory neuro-wellness design strategies; and how enriched environments can promote vitality and instill hopefulness, improve brain immune system interactions and synaptic connectivity, and enhance health towards longer, healthier ageing – how a clinically and scientifically backed integrative approach can enhance the entire medical human experience.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Embreathment
  • Environmental enrichments
  • Embodiment

  14.20

  Weaving the threads: Embracing cancer care through humanistic interior design

  Nancy Logan, Associate, DIALOG, Canada

  

  Nancy Logan

  Associate, DIALOG, Canada

  A DIALOG Associate and certified healthcare interior designer with the American Academy of Healthcare Interior Designers, Nancy Logan has the unique gift of transforming complex, highly technical interiors spaces into environments that foster a sense of wellbeing and delight. With over 17 years of experience, she has contributed to the design of a variety of large-scale healthcare facilities and smaller medical centres across Canada. Nancy is dedicated to empowering the healthcare design community by fostering knowledge sharing and connections among passionate designers. Her focus on infection prevention, accessibility, detailing and creating healing environments is evident in every project. A central figure of the DIALOG healthcare team, she is a collaborative and supportive leader and mentor who inspires those around her with her meticulous nature and dedication to craft, embodying a commitment to community wellbeing and design excellence.

  Nick Kennedy, Associate, DIALOG, Canada

  

  Nick Kennedy

  Associate, DIALOG, Canada

  Nick Kennedy is an Associate and Senior interior designer at DIALOG with a focus on inclusive and equitable design, creating spaces that beautifully respond to the diverse needs of the communities they serve. Specialising in complex healthcare, institutional and cultural projects, Nick combines technical expertise with a passion for conceptual thinking to craft thoughtful and purposeful healing environments across a variety of scales and clinical functions. His healthcare portfolio includes over 11 years of experience and spans facilities across Canada. As a Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certified (RHFAC) professional, he serves as the Chair of enableDIALOG, a practice-wide initiative focused on accessibility and universal design strategies across all DIALOG studios. Through his commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration and community engagement, Nick fosters innovation to craft purposeful, functional spaces that are accessible and support community wellbeing.

  Nancy Maerz, Senior associate, Stantec, Canada

  

  Nancy Maerz

  Senior associate, Stantec, Canada

  Nancy Maerz is an NCIDQ-accredited Senior interior designer and Senior associate at Stantec. With a passion for creating simple and beautiful spaces that positively enhance the patient experience, Nancy has dedicated over three decades to excellence in design, project execution and relationship building in the healthcare, science and technology fields. Her extensive background as an interior designer and project manager has equipped her with a profound understanding of how to realise a client’s vision through an integrated design process, both inside and out. Her commitment to creating healing environments is evident in her thoughtful approach. Notable projects include the Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Canadian Blood Services, Nanaimo Cancer Centre and Laboratories Canada. Her passion for managing complex projects and building strong client relationships shines through in her work, consistently enhancing the end-user experience with beautifully designed spaces.

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  Weaving the threads: Embracing cancer care through humanistic interior design

  Abstract Copy

  As cancer treatment technologies are rapidly accelerating, a constant challenge remains designing facilities that support patients’ need for a supportive and human-scaled environment, and clinicians’ need for a facility that supports workflows, collaboration and staff wellness. As cancer centres grow larger with the integration of research, education, survivorship and child-minding programmes, how can architects and interior designers create humanistic environments that reduce patient anxiety, empower wellness and support adaptability?
  
  The Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre (AJECCCC) is the largest cancer treatment and research facility in Canada, and the second largest in North America. At over 109,000 square metres, AJECCCC centralises screening, research, education, treatment and patient- and family-centered care for the most complex cases, while supporting a wider network of community treatment facilities. This session examines how the interior design of the AJECCCC approached the scale and complexity of this integrated cancer care facility to address the holistic needs of patients, families and staff through the lens of engagement and empowerment, including the following application and outcomes.
  
  Engagement
  - Following extensive engagement with clinicians, researchers and a patient and family advisory committee, the team developed interior design strategies that responded to user-identified needs through materiality, biophilia and regional context.
  - Designing the facility from the inside out, the integrated team of architects, interior designers and landscape architects created a central courtyard as the 'heart' of the building, which brought natural light to all levels including the below grade vaults, and upon which the design concept of “embracing care” formed.
  - The collaborative process by which the design team, contractor and local health services integrated patient and staff-focused care throughout the entirety of the planning and construction of the building.
  
  Empowerment
  - Bringing the scale of the facility down to the human level with a palette of simple yet layered design strategies that wove together to create interior spaces that are comfortable, elegant and cohesive.
  - Utilising colour and environmental graphics to respond to human needs of safety, belonging and identity while also supporting wayfinding, clinical functions and connections to community.
  - Supporting the dignity and resiliency of cancer treatment and research through the integration of art, research and survivorship stories into the interior environment.
  
  A robust interior design framework developed through extensive engagement and collaboration responded to the needs of patients, families and clinicians while empowering change and resiliency in the evolution of cancer services.

  Learning Objectives

  • Humanistic
  • Empowering
  • Integration

  14.40

  The Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital: Transforming the story of cancer

  Julia Davies, Senior associate and Project architect, NBBJ, UK

  

  Julia Davies

  Senior associate and Project architect, NBBJ, UK

  Julia is an expert in healthcare design, with a wealth of experience spanning both UK and international projects. Since joining NBBJ 12 years ago, she has worked on projects for Guy's and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, King’s College Hospital, Cambridge University Hospital Trust and Horton General Hospital. Currently, Julia is leading the design of the groundbreaking Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital, a project poised to revolutionise cancer care and accelerate research breakthroughs. Julia is working closely with the Trust to ensure the design meets the New Hospital Programme (NHP) criteria, delivering exceptional outcomes for patients, carers, staff and researchers.

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  The Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital: Transforming the story of cancer

  Abstract Copy

  The pairing of cutting-edge research with the highest quality of care has far-reaching implications for the way treatment is provided. The new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital aims to revolutionise cancer care in the first net-zero-carbon healthcare building in the UK, integrating clinical and research activities and transforming patient outcomes.
  
  The new cancer hospital is being built on Europe’s leading life sciences campus, the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, a partnership between Cambridge University Hospitals, the University of Cambridge, the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Centre and AstraZeneca. The hospital’s design leverages the advantages of co-locating research and clinical expertise, creating a world-class facility conceived in partnership with patients. By housing researchers and clinicians under one roof, the hospital will lead advancements in early diagnosis and precision treatments, driving breakthroughs that redefine how cancer is detected and treated, with far-reaching implications for patient outcomes locally, nationally and globally.
  
  The seven-storey c.27,000 square metre building is set to be the first hospital delivered in the East of England as part of the Government’s New Hospital Programme. Design features include programme standardisation and delivery by Laing O’Rourke using modern methods of construction. The hospital also aims to be a champion in sustainability with a commitment to BREEAM Excellent and the NHS 2040 Net Zero Carbon Building Standards, a digital strategy and delivering excellent patient experience and outcomes.
  
  Designed as a "home away from home" for patients while offering a supportive environment for staff and visitors, the research hospital will focus on early diagnosis and precision treatments, key components in helping the UK become a "testbed for oncology innovation". In collaboration with the Cambridge University Hospitals arts team, arts consultant and Patient Advisory Group, the design also integrates art into the hospital to enhance the patient experience and embeds principles of healing and wellbeing into the design.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Integration of research and clinical care for transformative outcomes – understanding the benefits of co-locating research, diagnosis and treatment to foster collaboration and innovation
  • Net-zero carbon goals, modern methods of construction (MMC) and digital design strategies to meet government criteria (NHP)
  • Human-centered design for enhanced patient and staff experience – environments that prioritise patient comfort ("home away from home”), staff wellbeing and visitor support

  15.00

  Panel discussion

  15.30 - 16.00Video+Poster Gallery, exhibition, coffee and networking

  + View gallery

  16.00 - 17.15

  Session 21

   - Beyond borders: Global healthcare insights and challenges

  

  Chair: Matthew Blair, Principal, BVN, UK

  

  Matthew Blair

  Principal, BVN, UK

  Matthew is an architect, technologist and Principal at BVN, acknowledged for his cross-sector expertise and his ability to apply current and novel technologies and future of work knowledge to redefine spaces across industries such as health, education and science. With a career spanning Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, North America and the UK, Matthew now leads BVN’s UK Studio, bringing a global perspective to his work. Passionate about driving change, Matthew also steers many of BVN’s transformational and innovation initiatives, collaborating with universities, start-ups and other architectural practices to expand the boundaries of what architecture can achieve. His work reflects a deep understanding of how insights from workplace design can inform and enhance other sectors, from healthcare to life sciences, creating environments that foster collaboration, adaptability and human connection.

  16.00

  Beyond borders: Global healthcare insights and challenges

  Christine Chadwick, Managing director, Archus Canada

  

  Christine Chadwick

  Managing director, Archus Canada

  Christine has more than 30 years of experience in healthcare, including many executive and leadership roles. Christine brings system-wide expertise and skills, including strategy/visioning, health services planning, functional programming, lean thinking and digi-physical visioning, as well as stakeholder engagement at all levels and input into healthcare planning. Christine is Co-chair of the CSA Z8005 (Digital infrastructure and digital technologies in healthcare facilities). She also sits as an associate member of the CSA Health Care Facilities Technical Committee (Z257 TC). Alongside her technical expertise, Christine is a passionate advocate for developing the next generation of healthcare leaders. She is a Mentor in Residence and a sessional lecturer at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine and Innovation, a mentor for the Women’s Infrastructure Network and Founding president of the Canadian Women’s Circle of Healthcare (CWCH).

  Neil Logan, Co-CEO and Principal, BVN, Australia

  

  Neil Logan

  Co-CEO and Principal, BVN, Australia

  Neil brings a breadth of large-project experience across the UK, Australia, and Asia to his role as Co-CEO and Principal at BVN. He is steadfast in his mission to embed regenerative practices into the core of BVN’s work across all sectors, delivering changes in how we work – his leadership ensures sustainability is not just a goal but an implicit part of the studio's approach. Neil is committed to driving innovation within the design process, collaborating with clients, communities and stakeholders to uncover unique, forward-thinking solutions to long-standing challenges. Renowned for his expertise in design management, he has successfully delivered large-scale, technically complex hospital projects, inspiring confidence in his ability to align and elevate the contributions of diverse, multidisciplinary teams. Under Neil's joint leadership, BVN strives to set benchmarks in health design and sustainability, shaping a more resilient future.

  Clare White, Director, O’Connell Mahon Architects, Ireland

  

  Clare White

  Director, O’Connell Mahon Architects, Ireland

  Clare is Director of O’ Connell Mahon Architects and is an experienced architect with more than 25 years of expertise in healthcare, transport, and education projects in both public and private sectors. A strategic leader and excellent communicator, she has led large-scale, complex projects with a focus on design, stakeholder engagement, procurement, and contract administration. Clare leads OCMA’s work on the 165,000sqm New Children’s Hospital in Dublin and previously directed award-winning projects including the Mercers Institute for Successful Aging and the North-West Cancer Centre in Derry. Key to these projects has been strong leadership and collaboration with other architects, multidisciplinary design teams, client teams and user groups. A former RIAI Vice President (2018–2019), Clare remains active in architectural governance, contributing to procurement, registration, and education initiatives. She regularly lectures on contract administration, public procurement, and dispute avoidance.

  Claire Colgan, Director, Turner & Townsend, UK

  

  Claire Colgan

  Director, Turner & Townsend, UK

  Claire is the leader of the UK Real Estate Advisory business at Turner and Townsend and serves on the UK Real Estate Project Management Board. Claire’s team specialises in providing comprehensive advisory services to the health sector, including business case authoring, estate strategy development, estate transformation program setup and management, operational and compliance audits, FM procurement, and FM transformation. Claire is known for her ability to ensure seamless alignment between corporate and clinical priorities with on-the-ground estate management and project delivery. She brings a wealth of experience in developing major estate optimisation programmes across healthcare, central government, and local government sectors.

  + View abstract

  Beyond borders: Global healthcare insights and challenges

  Abstract Copy

  This panel discussion will offer a comprehensive, global perspective on the current healthcare landscape, bringing together experts from countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia across design, planning and policy, to share their unique insights, challenges and strategies. With healthcare systems worldwide facing complex and interconnected issues, this discussion aims to highlight both the commonalities and the differences between systems and explore how lessons from one region can be applied to another.
  
  Chaired by BVN Principal, Matthew Blair, each panellist will be invited to present a brief five-minute overview of key healthcare trends, focusing on emerging issues such as the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in hospital design, funding models, population health management, government policies and hospital standardisation. These topics will provide a lens through which to examine the strengths and weaknesses of various healthcare models.
  
  Panellists will discuss strategies that could be adapted to other local contexts, such as innovative funding models, policy reforms or technological advancements, in order to address these issues and promote a more efficient and equitable healthcare system. They will share examples of how different countries have reimagined healthcare facility design to improve resilience, infection control and patient flow during health crises, while also considering long-term sustainability.
  
  Audience engagement will encourage an open discussion on the commonalities between healthcare systems, focusing on how global collaboration in hospital and healthcare environment design can improve patient outcomes. Participants will explore cross-border solutions for optimising healthcare environments, from creating more efficient, flexible hospital designs to integrating advanced technologies like telemedicine and robotics into building infrastructure. The session will also examine how design can contribute to preventative health, creating spaces that promote wellbeing, not just for patients but also for healthcare workers and the wider community.
  
  This session aims to foster a collaborative dialogue around the future of healthcare architecture, exploring how global insights can influence the design and construction of healthcare facilities that are not only functional but also responsive to the evolving needs of patients, providers and communities worldwide.

  Learning Objectives

  • Discover how successful strategies and design innovations from one region can be adapted to address challenges in other local healthcare systems
  • Learn how artificial intelligence, telemedicine and robotics are shaping hospital design and healthcare delivery worldwide
  • Examine case studies of innovative funding models, policy reforms and design strategies that have improved healthcare efficiency, equity and resilience

  End of Art and architecture stream

• Science, technology and digital transformation

  Seligman Theatre

  Supported by

  

  08.45 - 10.15

  Session 23

   - Digital design and decarbonisation

  

  Chair: Göran Lindahl PhD, Professor, Chalmers University of Technology; Director, Centre for Healthcare Architecture, Sweden

  

  Göran Lindahl PhD

  Professor, Chalmers University of Technology; Director, Centre for Healthcare Architecture, Sweden

  Göran Lindahl is an architect and Professor at Chalmers University of Technology in Goteborg, Sweden, Adjunct Associate Professor of Tampere University of Technology in Tampere, Finland, and visiting professor at Politecnico di Milano. He has 35 years’ experience working across academia and the AEC (architecture, engineering, construction) sector – among this, for example, eight years with the City of Gothenburg facilities planning department. Dr Lindahl is Director of the Centre for Healthcare Architecture (CVA) where he focuses on the planning of hospitals and other healthcare facilities through his understanding of healthcare processes and the strategies of the facility providers. Integrating approaches and transdisciplinary research is a strong aspect of his work. Previous projects include evaluations of usability of hospitals in Sweden and abroad, and educational aspects of clinical and non-clinical environments. He is currently involved with projects concerning design dialogues, maternity wards, health promotion in hospitals, real estate issues related to demographic changes, housing for the elderly and information management in healthcare construction projects. Dr Lindahl is author of 150+ publications, a keen reviewer and engaged in the development of knowledge and evidence relevant to practice.

  08.45

  Use of digital twins in the decarbonisation of healthcare infrastructure

  Abhi Shekar, Digital health lead, Mott MacDonald, UK

  

  Abhi Shekar

  Digital health lead, Mott MacDonald, UK

  An experienced digital health leader, Abhi is passionate about using digital, data and technology to transform healthcare service delivery. His expertise includes digital strategy development and implementation, operating model definition, business case development, implementation planning and delivery, and systems implementation in the healthcare sector. Abhi has advised the departments of health in the UK and Australia on designing, developing and implementing national-level strategies and policies for digitalising healthcare delivery.

  + View abstract

  Use of digital twins in the decarbonisation of healthcare infrastructure

  Abstract Copy

  Mott MacDonald is collaborating with an NHS trust to apply digital twin technology in support of its decarbonisation ambitions. The project aims to develop a digital twin proof of concept (PoC) for the Trust’s existing assets, focusing on real-time operational energy usage and carbon monitoring.
  
  The primary objective of this initiative is to identify quick-win energy savings and efficiency improvements that contribute to the Trust's net zero and carbon reduction goals. The digital twin will provide enhanced visibility of energy consumption through additional sensors and a digital platform that consolidates energy, asset and carbon data. This platform will enable behind-the-meter optimisation and demand-side flexibility, reducing both operational energy costs and capital costs of electrical infrastructure.
  
  Key deliverables of the PoC include actionable insights, benchmark analysis and an operational carbon accounting dashboard for automated monthly reporting and abatement tracking. The project also involves installing IoT devices to improve data collection and analysis, ensuring timely and accurate data from sources such as building management systems (BMS) and meters.
  
  The collaboration emphasises the importance of visualisation deliverables, such as energy, water and occupancy profiles, to help stakeholders view data in various ways depending on the prioritised use case. The ultimate goal is to create a scalable approach that can be applied across the Trust's assets, supporting ongoing decarbonisation efforts.
  
  In summary, this joint effort between Mott MacDonald and the Trust aims to harness the power of digital twin technology to provide detailed insights into energy usage and carbon emissions, thereby identifying opportunities for efficiency improvements and cost savings. This initiative is a significant step towards achieving the Trust's decarbonisation ambitions and net zero goals.
  
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Focus on real-time operational energy usage and carbon monitoring
  • Quick-win energy savings and efficiency improvements
  • Support in meeting NHS net zero goals and decarbonisation ambitions

  09.05

  Transforming hospital management with digital twins and connected platforms

  Spencer ten Brink, Business development executive, Autodesk, Germany

  

  Spencer ten Brink

  Business development executive, Autodesk, Germany

  With over 21 years of professional experience, Spencer ten Brink is the global lead for Business Development in Corporate Real Estate Management at Autodesk. He holds a diploma in business and economics from the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg.

  Matthias Wasem, CEO, BIM Facility, Switzerland

  

  Matthias Wasem

  CEO, BIM Facility, Switzerland

  With over 23 years of professional experience, Matthias Wasem is the CEO of BIM Facility and an expert in BIM and digital twin technologies. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland.

  + View abstract

  Transforming hospital management with digital twins and connected platforms

  Abstract Copy

  The healthcare sector is undergoing a profound digital transformation to meet the growing demand for efficient processes and improved patient care. Large hospitals and specialised clinics, characterised by their complex infrastructure, face unique challenges in managing their facilities. This session explores the integration of advanced technologies, such as digital twins and connected data platforms, in hospital buildings and clinics. It outlines the business case, lifecycle perspective and practical applications, demonstrating their value in enhancing performance, streamlining operations and improving patient outcomes.
  
  Key challenges include the complexity of integrating diverse systems across the building lifecycle, a lack of in-house data management expertise and discrepancies between planned and actual building performance. These issues result in operational inefficiencies, increased costs and suboptimal resource utilisation. Digital twins and connected data platforms address these challenges by establishing a continuous digital thread that enables real-time data access, proactive facility management and performance monitoring.
  
  The presentation highlights practical examples of successful implementations, including developing internal data management competence, achieving operational excellence through digital twins exemplified by optimised cleaning processes using real-time occupancy data, and asset tracking to improve patient flow. These cases demonstrate tangible benefits, such as cost savings, reduced downtime and enhanced patient and staff satisfaction. Another notable example showcases how a hospital used digital twins to reduce project timelines for infrastructure planning from one year to three weeks, highlighting the potential for transformative efficiency gains.
  
  To ensure success, we emphasise the importance of building internal expertise, integrating planning and operations, leveraging modern technologies like the internet of things (IoT) and AI, setting the right incentives for work and establishing feedback loops for continuous improvement. These strategies enable hospitals to systematically capture lessons learned, avoid planning errors, and enhance the functionality and efficiency of future projects.
  
  This session aligns with the Congress theme 'Science, technology and digital transformation' by demonstrating how whole-system adoption of digital technologies can revolutionise hospital buildings and clinics. By addressing critical business and operational considerations, it provides a roadmap for leveraging digital twins and connected platforms to optimise hospital management, enhance patient care and prepare for the future of smart healthcare facilities.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Understand the role of digital twins in hospital management
  • Explore practical applications of digital technologies in healthcare facilities
  • Develop strategies for successful digital transformation in healthcare

  09.25

  Decarbonising healthcare estates through technology

  Emily Scoones, Head of digital and innovation, Ramboll, UK

  

  Emily Scoones

  Head of digital and innovation, Ramboll, UK

  Emily is the Head of digital and innovation for Ramboll Buildings UK. She has over nine years of experience of leveraging her digital expertise and computational design skills on traditional buildings projects. She is passionate about applying innovative approaches and technology to create better outcomes for projects, clients and society.

  Stuart A McArthur, Senior smart building ICT smart technology consultant, Ramboll, UK

  

  Stuart A McArthur

  Senior smart building ICT smart technology consultant, Ramboll, UK

  Stuart is an energetic consultant with over 25 years' success in managing and motivating teams, a track record in diverse projects and technologies, and a proven ability to assimilate – and ultimately exceed – client demands. A moralistic approach to project management and the delivery of smart strategy solutions is in his DNA.

  + View abstract

  Decarbonising healthcare estates through technology

  Abstract Copy

  Technology is changing the way we address the demands of healthcare provision within the constraints of environmental sustainability. It is facilitating the ability to create more sustainable designs and maximise the existing assets through digital design tools and workflows, as well leveraging SMART hospital technologies. The implementation of SMART hospitals draws upon advancements in internet of things (IoT) devices, artificial intelligence and data analytics to create hospitals that are not only environmentally sustainable but also operationally efficient and patient-centric. To enable the deployment of these systems, it is critical that hospitals have a robust, adaptable and secure infrastructure to host them, and that this is considered during the design process.
  
  Ramboll presents how digital technology and processes can be used in design to help decarbonise hospital estates, and how SMART technologies can be used to create an adaptable but holistic focus to medical treatment. One example will showcase how our team has used and created digital workflows within our design processes to support clients at a strategic level and influence design at an asset level through our decarbonisation tool, which can be applied at both estate and building scales. Additionally, Ramboll continues to lead innovation in SMART technologies, and meet clients' global energy needs, with a practical software control platform. We will present how our collaborative approach with clients, design teams and stakeholders enables the strategic application of technology to enhance resilience, optimise operations and deliver exceptional healthcare outcomes.
  
  To continue to innovate and improve our existing hospital assets and influence the design of new developments, we must prioritise investment in scalable SMART solutions and foster a culture of innovation and continuous learning in the design process by creating multi-scale design feedback loops. The benefits of this digital transformation should be seen through reduced environmental impacts, advanced healthcare delivery and a robust model for future developments in sustainable healthcare infrastructure.

  Learning Objectives

  • The climate crisis is a health crisis
  • Examine the proposed framework and how it can be implemented
  • Collaborative approach to deliver resilient societies and health systems

  09.45

  Panel discussion

  10.15 - 10.45Video+Poster Gallery, exhibition, coffee and networking

  + View gallery

  10.45 - 12.30

  Session 24

   - Masterplanning technology transformation

  

  Chair: Brenda Bush-Moline, Vice president, buildings, Global health sector leader, Stantec, USA

  

  Brenda Bush-Moline

  Vice president, buildings, Global health sector leader, Stantec, USA

  Brenda Bush-Moline, AIA, ACHA, LEED AP BD+C, EDAC, is a distinguished leader with over 30 years of experience in healthcare design. Brenda has been instrumental in creating healing and wellness spaces by integrating health design with related markets such as workplace, hospitality, retail and education. Her extensive project experience includes master planning for renowned institutions like Northwestern Memorial Healthcare, Geisinger and Nemours Children's Hospital. Brenda's expertise is further highlighted by her certifications from the American Institute of Architects and the American College of Healthcare Architects, as well as her LEED AP accreditation. She has a proven track record of translating design and planning intentions into spaces that reflect the mission and vision of her clients. In addition to her design prowess, Brenda is a prolific speaker and author. She has moderated and presented at numerous conferences, including the Healthcare Facilities Symposium and the European Healthcare Design Congress. Her publications in Healthcare Design Magazine and other industry journals showcase her thought leadership in reimagining healthcare environments. Brenda's commitment to advancing healthcare design is also evident in her roles as an advisory board member for the Healthcare Facilities Symposium and Expo and a juror for the European Healthcare Design Awards. Her holistic approach to design and her dedication to continuous improvement make her a respected leader in and outside of the health field.

  10.45

  Advancing healthcare design: Technology transformations shaping the future

  Bruce Crook, Principal, Architectus Conrad Gargett, Australia

  

  Bruce Crook

  Principal, Architectus Conrad Gargett, Australia

  Bruce has a firm grasp of current and emerging trends in health facility design and service delivery – and he translates that unique insight into architecture and design that balances form and function within a safe, healing environment for patients, carers and staff. He has more than three decades of experience in the sector, with a career stretching across Australia, the Asia Pacific, the Middle East, India and North America. In a variety of senior roles, Bruce has honed his skills across the project continuum, from business case development, feasibility studies and master planning through to design documentation and delivery, completion and commissioning. A frequent presenter at national and international health conferences, Bruce joined Architectus Conrad Gargett from HDR, where he served as Director – Health after holding senior roles at Silver Thomas Hanley and Hassell. His Australian portfolio includes Monash Children’s Hospital and Werribee Mercy Hospital Stage 2 Redevelopment Precinct Master Plan.

  + View abstract

  Advancing healthcare design: Technology transformations shaping the future

  Abstract Copy

  This presentation will explore how emerging technologies are reshaping clinical care and healthcare design, both within hospitals and beyond, into homes and communities. The research delves into five pivotal technological transformations driving the evolution of healthcare design.
  
  1. Digital innovation
  Virtual care and telemedicine are redefining patient care, supported by wearables, remote monitoring and predictive analytics. These advancements alleviate pressure on acute care facilities while fostering more efficient healthcare systems. Designers are tasked with integrating these technologies into flexible, future-ready environments.
  
  2. Sustainability and technology
  Sustainability and digital innovation go hand-in-hand. The integration of modular designs, smart building systems and tools like BIM and digital twins support environmentally conscious facilities, exemplified by Sweden's new Karolinska Hospital and Australia's 6 Star Green Star Sunshine Coast University Hospital.
  
  3. Virtual care
  Catalysed by the pandemic, remote healthcare delivery has surged, offering equitable, efficient solutions for follow-up consultations and chronic care management. Denmark exemplifies this shift, incorporating telemedicine into national health strategies. Australian facilities must now adapt spaces to accommodate these emerging models.
  
  4. Command centres
  Centralised command centres powered by AI and predictive analytics act as healthcare’s 'control towers', optimising resource allocation and care delivery. Design considerations must include real-time monitoring spaces and robust data infrastructure to handle vast streams of health information.
  
  5. Robotics in healthcare
  Robots are revolutionising surgery, rehabilitation and hospital logistics, enhancing precision and reducing human error. Design solutions, such as shared corridors for autonomous mobile robots, will facilitate their seamless integration into healthcare facilities.
  
  These insights, informed by visits to pioneering facilities in Europe, North America and Asia, underscore the necessity for healthcare designers to stay ahead of rapid technological change. The discussion highlights examples like the New North Zealand Hospital in Denmark and Singapore’s C3 Command Centre, illustrating how technology can elevate care delivery while addressing sustainability imperatives.
  
  This presentation offers a forward-looking exploration of how technological advancements are transforming healthcare design, emphasising the critical role of architects and designers in crafting spaces that enable innovation, sustainability and equity in health services.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Understand the Intersection of technology and design in healthcare
  • Apply sustainable design principles enhanced by digital tools
  • Design for future-ready healthcare systems

  11.05

  Progressive adoption of automation in large-scale acute hospitals: A planning strategy for nimble phygital health campuses

  Sumandeep Singh, Vice president, Senior medical planner and Studio practice leader for health, HKS, Singapore

  

  Sumandeep Singh

  Vice president, Senior medical planner and Studio practice leader for health, HKS, Singapore

  Sumandeep is Vice president, Senior medical planner and Studio practice leader for health at HKS, a global architecture firm headquartered in Dallas, Texas. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from GGSIP University, New Delhi, India and is licensed by the Council of Architecture, India. He holds accreditation as an EDAC professional from the Center for Health Design, California. He has designed large healthcare and life sciences projects globally. His expertise extends to winning international hospital design competitions, such as the Shenzhen Children’s Hospital in China, which was widely covered globally for its unique approach to paediatric facility design merging with research facilities in a large 600-bed hospital complex. He has been recently certified in 'AI for Healthcare' from the National University of Singapore. Sumandeep works at the intersection of planning, BIM, AI, automation and technology in healthcare design. Currently based in HKS's Singapore Studio, he holds over 18 years of experience in planning large-scale healthcare and life sciences projects across India, the USA, Singapore, China and more.

  Lawrence Kam, Associate, Medical planner, HKS, Singapore

  

  Lawrence Kam

  Associate, Medical planner, HKS, Singapore

  A project designer at HKS Singapore, Lawrence Kam is a multifaceted professional who excels in the fields of architectural design, medical planning and design thinking. With a passion for innovation and a deep understanding of user-centric design principles, Lawrence has a track record of creating impactful and intuitive designs that enhance the user experience and drive positive outcomes. From the early stages of concept development to project completion, Lawrence has been instrumental in various aspects of design, planning, user engagements and project management. Going beyond the realm of architecture, he has actively participated in numerous research initiatives and community projects.

  + View abstract

  Progressive adoption of automation in large-scale acute hospitals: A planning strategy for nimble phygital health campuses

  Abstract Copy

  This presentation focuses on the challenges of adopting automated and data-backed solutions in health campuses that face staff shortages and high patient throughput due to ageing populations. HKS was commissioned to plan a 1,500-bed, 300,000 square metre acute and community hospital campus in Singapore. With early stakeholder engagement and the additional scope of writing the functional brief and space program for the project, it presented a valuable opportunity to make a difference in how health campuses are planned in Singapore. Emphasis was placed on addressing the widespread healthcare staff shortage, coupled with the ageing population. Technology, including automation of various logistics and clinical operations, and data-backed decision making, was a key focus area for the campus.
  
  The project planning team carried out extensive research to identify key areas or departments in the facility that would rely extensively on automation, including robotics. Since Singapore was an early adopter of automation in hospitals using automated guided vehicles, automated drug dispensing and laboratory automation, it was an opportunity to explore the next chapter of these solutions. The team found various gaps in exploring the full potential of these technologies. These were then listed under various categories for solutioning, with the key ones being:
  - planning or layout-related concerns;
  - technology-related concerns;
  - cybersecurity-related challenges;
  - ethical frameworks-related aspects;
  - learning curve to adopt certain solutions;
  - related medical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) service backbone requirements and related issues;
  - monopolised technologies and bridging-related issues.
  
  Upon conclusion of the discovery process, a roadmap was created to address these issues, starting with medical planning and design, followed by co-ordination with various stakeholders, consultants and industry partners. While it was clearly understood that all issues would not be addressed in a single project, there was a consensus on the progressive adoption of technologies, artificial intelligence and data-based decision making, with a step-by-step strategy to transition manual tasks to automated ones in a phased manner. Futureproofing was implemented in the design and planning, while maintaining a rigorous check on the project budget and timeline.
  
  The project is under construction and on course to be the latest large acute hospital in Singapore, touted as the first phygital campus where the hospital will begin serving patients using technology even before it is fully completed as a building.

  Learning Objectives

  • To learn about global best practice in the current health planning landscape
  • Learning about new procurement strategies like public-private partnership (PPP), design-build, etc.
  • Learning about latest technology and AI, data-backed solutions for healthcare

  11.25

  Empowering our SMART healthcare future: The data centre opportunity

  Kevin Cassidy, National market lead – healthcare and science, WSP, Canada

  

  Kevin Cassidy

  National market lead – healthcare and science, WSP, Canada

  As the National head of healthcare for WSP Canada and chair of WSP’s global healthcare team, Kevin has over 20 years of healthcare facility design under his belt. With experience in acute care, paediatric, outpatient and long-term care facilities, Kevin has a passion for helping his clients design buildings and systems that support the best care practices for their patients. Kevin’s experience spans all aspects of the healthcare design process including strategic planning, compliance consulting, master planning, and design and construction management. Working with national and global healthcare clients, Kevin has successfully delivered projects using a variety of procurement models, including Design-Bid-Build, Alternative Financial Procurement, and Integrated Project Delivery. Along with the rest of the WSP team, he works with his clients, partners and industry to provide innovative solutions and environments, addressing the unique obstacles that impact the development of a healthier society .

  + View abstract

  Empowering our SMART healthcare future: The data centre opportunity

  Abstract Copy

  Advances in medical technology, artificial intelligence and clinical care approaches offer an unprecedented opportunity to provide patients with better care and medical outcomes than ever before. However, implementing the infrastructure to enable these changing approaches to healthcare has never been more challenging. From the rising costs of hospital construction and imperatives to decarbonise buildings and operations, to the challenge that the data infrastructure is not yet ready to enable the full promise of AI-enabled healthcare, it’s time for a rethink on how we develop healthcare facilities. Could stepping back and considering a completely different approach inspired by another sector be the way forward?
  
  In this presentation, we will explore opportunities for collaboration between the healthcare and data centre industries. We will explore a 'what if' scenario where business models, infrastructure needs and the race to decarbonise collide. Could combining the energy-intense complexities of large-scale data centres with the energy-hungry needs of modern healthcare facilities enable the technologies of the future faster, while addressing the financial and social challenges that healthcare is facing around the world?
  
  We will look at:
  • the financial, technological, and social challenges facing modern hospital construction projects;
  • how AI-enabled healthcare may be able to address future clinical challenges;
  • the data centre infrastructure gap that must be overcome to enable AI-enabled healthcare;
  • opportunities to collaborate with industry partners to identify novel methods of using energy and decarbonise operations.
  
  Delving into specific case studies where such interdisciplinary collaborations have already shown promising results for other building types, we will examine how hospitals can integrate data centre technologies to optimise their energy consumption and reduce operational costs. Additionally, we will discuss the potential for innovative financing models that leverage the strengths of both sectors to fund the development of next-generation healthcare facilities. Moreover, we will highlight the importance of regulatory frameworks and policy support in facilitating these collaborations. By understanding the regulatory landscape and advocating for policies that promote sustainable and integrated infrastructure development, we can pave the way for more resilient and adaptable healthcare systems. Building on the collaborative opportunities that exist with the data centre industry, we will also look at how healthcare design, construction and operations could be improved through greater collaboration with other industries. Using 'outside the project' thinking, we will explore these what-if scenarios, encouraging attendees to identify opportunities to improve clinical and facility operations, create alternative revenue streams and enhance patient outcomes.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Recognise infrastructure challenges to implementing AI-enabled healthcare technologies
  • Review the development status of other industry sectors that compliment the healthcare facility redevelopment process
  • Identify collaborative partnering opportunities that enhance healthcare redevelopment opportunities

  11.45

  Integrative digital transformation in healthcare: Technology master planning for a resilient health ecosystem

  Con McGarry, Senior consultant, digital healthcare, Arcadis, UK

  

  Con McGarry

  Senior consultant, digital healthcare, Arcadis, UK

  A qualified biomedical scientist and experienced healthcare professional with a focus on technology, Con specialises in transforming healthcare environments by integrating innovative technology solutions with human-centric design that results in tangible improvements to patient outcomes and operational efficiency. His expertise lies in envisioning a cohesive pathway to deliver health and wellbeing solutions beyond traditional boundaries, spanning hospitals, homes, communities and digital spaces. Con has significant exposure and a proven track record of delivery in complex, multi-stakeholder public and private markets across multiple industries. He has a proven ability to build, lead and inspire high-performance teams and motivate individuals to achieve results. He is a proven problem solver, delivering digital solutions that drive positive customer experiences and continuous performance improvements in forward-thinking public and private sector environments.

  + View abstract

  Integrative digital transformation in healthcare: Technology master planning for a resilient health ecosystem

  Abstract Copy

  Healthcare systems are increasingly pressured to adapt to rising demands for personalised, predictive and responsive care. As facilities struggle to integrate technology, there is an urgent need for a structured approach to healthcare technology, encompassing novel technologies such as AI, the internet of things (IoT), data analytics, telemedicine and robotics. Through projects such as the Cleveland Clinic Technology Masterplan and the new St. Paul’s Hospital redevelopment, we have developed a framework that leverages these technologies to build resilient, digitally-enabled healthcare ecosystems that prioritise patient-centred care and efficient resource management.
  
  Drawing from recent healthcare technology implementations, specifically exploring how integrated ICT systems and smart hospital infrastructures contribute to digital health transformation, a comprehensive theoretical framework for whole-system digital transformation in healthcare can be conceived. Projects, such as the Cleveland Clinic Technology Masterplan and the new St. Paul’s Hospital redevelopment, demonstrate strategic approaches to incorporating digital informatics and adaptable, data-centric infrastructures that support personalised medicine and holistic patient care.
  
  The proposed methodology for achieving whole-system digital transformation in healthcare follows five phases, as demonstrated by the Cleveland Clinic Technology Masterplan. The process begins with 'discovery', where visioning workshops identify how novel and emerging technologies can align with healthcare delivery goals. Stakeholders collaborate to create a shared vision that links technology with clinical and operational objectives. 'Research' explores available technologies, trends and best practices, with a focus on understanding the maturity and applicability of technologies in healthcare contexts.
  
  'Analysis' takes findings from discovery and research to identify strategic opportunities for digital transformation, leading to actionable recommendations. 'Solution development' then translates these insights into conceptual use cases and technology designs that fit within existing healthcare infrastructure, emphasising adaptability and interoperability. Finally, the 'plan and report' phase synthesises these efforts into a comprehensive technology master plan, offering a structured roadmap for technology integration, performance metrics and long-term transformation.
  
  Our projects demonstrate the potential of a whole-system digital transformation approach, paving the way for a new model of healthcare that prioritises technology and patient-centred design. This methodology offers a framework for adopting a holistic digital health ecosystem, preparing healthcare facilities to meet future demands with a robust, flexible digital infrastructure. Further study will focus on the measurable impacts of these technologies across performance metrics to optimise the model for broader application in the health sector.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Smart hospital innovations
  • Whole system-level adoption of digital health
  • Personalised medical care

  12.05

  Panel discussion

  12.30 - 14.00Video+Poster Gallery, workshop, exhibition, lunch and networking

  + View gallery

  Lunchtime workshops

  + View info

  14.00 - 15.30

  Session 25

   - Digital transformation of care and workflows

  

  Chair: Harry van Goor, Professor of surgical education, Radboudumc, Netherlands

  

  Harry van Goor

  Professor of surgical education, Radboudumc, Netherlands

  Harry van Goor, MD, PhD, FRCS is a Professor of surgical education and innovator at the Radboud University Medical Center (Radboudumc). He leads several technology tracks in the ‘less bricks, more bytes, different behaviour’ programme to improve the care and wellbeing of patients and healthcare workers in and outside the hospital, including intuitive personalised wayfinding, continuous monitoring with wearable devices and predictive analytics, VR therapy and VR education, ambient intelligence and personalised healing environments in the hospital and at home. He runs a project of home-facilitated VR (p)rehabilitation (e.g. long-Covid rehab) and VR4Pain management in a virtually connected care solution. Harry has published over 400 peer-reviewed papers in a broad field of surgical care, medical device development and digital technology-supported care innovation. He coaches several start-up companies in the field of digital technology-supported healthcare and design in a ‘learning by doing’ and ‘digital by design’ way. Harry was awarded Digital Innovator of the Year 2022 in the Netherlands. He is a Frank Lloyd Wright connoisseur, living with his wife in a FLW-designed Usonian house.

  14.00

  The inpatient room as a microcosm of care transformation: Designing for the digital-physical future

  David Nicolson, Managing director UKMENA, Tektology, UK

  

  David Nicolson

  Managing director UKMENA, Tektology, UK

  David is the Managing Director of Tektology for the UK, Middle East and North America, a consultancy focused on health system design, digital innovation and organisational transformation. With over 20 years of experience, his career spans roles in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, India and the UK, where he has worked on complex healthcare challenges across diverse settings. David has led significant initiatives in service redesign, digital integration and the development of innovative care models. His work includes projects with NHS trusts and NHS England, as well as health systems in Australia and New Zealand, where he has contributed to strategic digital transformations and the creation of patient-centred care pathways. In Canada and India, he has supported large-scale health improvement projects, aligning policy and technology to improve health outcomes. A former State president of the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA), David was valedictorian of the Executive Master of Public Administration programme at the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG). In 2016, he received the IPAA National Young Public Sector Leader Award, recognising his contributions to public administration and leadership.

  Christine Chadwick, Managing director, Archus Canada

  

  Christine Chadwick

  Managing director, Archus Canada

  Christine has more than 30 years of experience in healthcare, including many executive and leadership roles. Christine brings system-wide expertise and skills, including strategy/visioning, health services planning, functional programming, lean thinking and digi-physical visioning, as well as stakeholder engagement at all levels and input into healthcare planning. Christine is Co-chair of the CSA Z8005 (Digital infrastructure and digital technologies in healthcare facilities). She also sits as an associate member of the CSA Health Care Facilities Technical Committee (Z257 TC). Alongside her technical expertise, Christine is a passionate advocate for developing the next generation of healthcare leaders. She is a Mentor in Residence and a sessional lecturer at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine and Innovation, a mentor for the Women’s Infrastructure Network and Founding president of the Canadian Women’s Circle of Healthcare (CWCH).

  + View abstract

  The inpatient room as a microcosm of care transformation: Designing for the digital-physical future

  Abstract Copy

  The inpatient room, traditionally seen as the foundation of hospital-based care, is evolving into a dynamic nexus of digital-physical integration, driving care delivery both within and beyond hospital walls. As healthcare systems innovate, the room must not only address immediate patient and clinician needs but also act as a bridge to remote monitoring, home-based treatments and integrated care networks.
  
  This session positions the inpatient room as a microcosm of care transformation. Drawing on case studies from Australia, Canada and the UK’s New Hospital Programme (NHP), we will explore how technologies like the internet of things (IoT), AI and sensors are embedded into room- and ward-level designs to enable seamless transitions between hospital- and community-based care. The discussion will also address how these innovations impact patient outcomes, clinician workflows and system-wide interoperability.
  
  Key themes include:
  1. Reimagining the inpatient room: Designing spaces to integrate technology, enhance adaptability and provide a platform for digital-physical care models
  2. Extending care beyond the hospital: Leveraging room-based innovations like remote monitoring to support continuity of care in home and community settings
  3. Data integration and interoperability: Connecting room-level technologies with broader hospital and community care networks for seamless transitions
  4. Ward-level impacts: Examining how single-room advancements reshape care team workflows, data use and patient outcomes
  5. Future-ready design: Addressing challenges in creating rooms and wards that remain adaptable to evolving technologies and care delivery models
  
  By examining the inpatient room as a key enabler of digital-physical convergence, this presentation provides actionable insights into designing spaces that drive transformative care delivery. Attendees will learn how to balance cutting-edge technologies with patient-centred design to reimagine care from hospital to home.
  
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Develop strategies for designing inpatient rooms that serve as platforms for integrated digital-physical care delivery
  • Understand how room-level innovations impact broader ward and system operations, enabling smoother transitions to community-based care
  • Explore international case studies demonstrating the role of technology in bridging hospital and home care through integrated design

  14.20

  Digital transformation of clinical workflows in hospitals

  Kevin Higgins, Vice president of product, Austco Healthcare (Global), USA

  

  Kevin Higgins

  Vice president of product, Austco Healthcare (Global), USA

  A global product manager for ten years, Kevin came to the healthcare industry as a user experience and product usability expert. He is responsible for making sure Austco Healthcare’s products meet the diverse needs of customers worldwide. Kevin facilitates usability workshops with customers to uncover pain points and opportunities, and frequently presents product strategy to customers, investors and distributors globally. Kevin is passionate about using the latest technologies to solve problems for healthcare customers, especially those challenges that, when overcome, improve the standard of care for a measurable effect on people's lives and health.

  Peter Ball, Business manager, Austco Healthcare (Europe), UK

  

  Peter Ball

  Business manager, Austco Healthcare (Europe), UK

  Peter has 40+ years’ experience working with client teams throughout Europe, the Middle East, the Far East and the UK in the design and delivery of advanced hospital communications systems for acute hospitals.

  + View abstract

  Digital transformation of clinical workflows in hospitals

  Abstract Copy

  The optimisation of hospital processes saves time and cost of scarce resources, and drives real gains in patient experience and staff wellbeing. To advance digital transformation and lighten the burden on healthcare staff, hospitals are encouraged to embrace a new generation of communications technologies. Optimised clinical workflow represents a digital twin for healthcare’s myriad processes – for example, the steps to admit an emergency room patient, management of the patient care pathway, co-ordination of room cleaning and maintenance, and the several sign-offs required to discharge a patient.
  
  Nurse call systems have evolved to stand at the nexus of several data systems and are uniquely able to provide digital workflow solutions. Benefits include:
  • ensuring all staff roles are represented – not just nurses – with communications going directly to the right person, department or team;
  • exposing where there are inefficiencies in a process. Reducing each patient discharge timeline by just 15 minutes, for example, represents a significant amount of money saved over time, and provides the opportunity to increase throughput;
  • supporting care initiatives and enforcing protocols – for example, setting a goal to spend 15 minutes more per day with each patient, or ensuring that each patient is observed by a nurse at least once every hour;
  • combatting alarm fatigue and improving the healing environment by annunciating only high-priority alarms and calls, while directing others to their recipient silently;
  • bridging siloed data systems by displaying the right data in the right context. Does this patient have a food allergy? When were they last seen by a nurse and how long was the visit? What specialists must see them before they may be discharged? Is this room waiting to be cleaned before another patient may be admitted?
  
  Because each hospital has its own way of accomplishing a given task, the solution must be flexible enough to respect preferences while also contributing a best-practice framework. Optimised workflow requires planning: processes documented, relevant metrics chosen, technology options considered and, finally, effectiveness measured in ways that tie efforts back to key performance outcomes.
  
  The future of optimised workflow lies in automating functions based on real-time data, using machine learning to make predictions about staffing and patient needs, and automatically assigning tasks. Digital workflow simply brings a modern efficiency to processes that have always existed. We’re finding bottlenecks, introducing time savings, measuring what was previously unmeasured. Advanced digital workflow is the connective tissue between staff, their tasks, their patients and technology.

  Learning Objectives

  • An understanding of the emerging technologies and integrations that enable digital workflows, and their effective application in hospitals
  • Selecting the metrics that yield greatest insight to hospital processes, and the greatest opportunity for improvement
  • Planning and infrastructure considerations for digital workflows, as well as the successful deployment and testing of bespoke solutions

  14.40

  SMART operating theatres

  Richard McAuley, National specification manager, Brandon Medical (Member of Reinsberg Group), UK

  

  Richard McAuley

  National specification manager, Brandon Medical (Member of Reinsberg Group), UK

  Richard McAuley is a highly experienced professional with a diverse background in technology and audio-visual systems. Beginning his career in instrumentation and control systems, Richard advanced to developing SCADA control and predictive failure analysis solutions. He later transitioned into video production, live events and audio-visual systems, where he has excelled for over 25 years. Richard specialises in designing, specifying and delivering innovative AV, broadcast and control solutions for military, education and healthcare environments globally. His healthcare portfolio includes cutting-edge projects such as surgical skills labs, integrated operating theatres, MDT facilities, endoscopy suites and mortuaries across the UK. Notable collaborations include West Midlands Surgical Training Centre (WMSTC), Newcastle Freeman Hospital, Keele University and Leeds St James’s Hospital. At Brandon Medical, Richard authors master specifications that seamlessly integrate advanced technologies with the needs of healthcare professionals, estate owners and end users, ensuring optimal outcomes for modern healthcare design.

  + View abstract

  SMART operating theatres

  Abstract Copy

  The healthcare industry is undergoing a transformative shift with the integration of digital technologies, artificial intelligence (AI) and personalised medicine. One of the key enablers of this shift is the application of intelligent medical devices within the operating theatre, which can facilitate improved decision making, patient outcomes and operational efficiency. As a manufacturer of cutting-edge medical devices, such as operating lights with integrated camera systems, digital connectivity for medical equipment and unified communication systems, we have developed an ecosystem that fosters seamless data exchange across multiple systems within the operating room. These innovations are designed to capture and analyse both patient and environmental data in real time, providing valuable insights for AI applications.
  
  This presentation aims to explore the potential of AI-driven analysis in operating theatres by using real-time vision, patient and environmental data. Specifically, it highlights the capabilities of our intelligent systems, which integrate medical devices, control panels and building management systems to enable a flexible, adaptive approach to healthcare delivery.
  
  We employed a systems integration approach to evaluate the performance of our digital health ecosystem, focusing on the integration of vision systems, medical devices and environmental data. We examined how these systems interact with AI algorithms to provide actionable insights for surgeons, improving precision, reducing errors and enhancing patient safety. Experience from hospitals and operating theatres using our technologies were analysed to assess real-world applications and user feedback. The research also explored the adaptability and reconfigurability of the system to meet changing client and patient needs.
  
  Our findings demonstrate that the integration of AI with medical devices in the operating theatre significantly enhances clinical workflows. Surgeons can share procedures in real time through unified communication systems, improving collaboration and knowledge sharing. Additionally, the ability to dynamically modify the system based on specific patient or procedural requirements ensures that care can be personalised and optimised. The system’s flexibility in data processing and system reconfiguration allows hospitals to remain agile, adapting quickly to evolving technologies and patient care protocols.
  
  The adoption of AI and digital health solutions in operating theatres represents a significant advancement in healthcare delivery. By leveraging integrated data systems, medical devices and building management technologies, healthcare providers can enhance clinical precision, patient outcomes and operational flexibility. The ability to update and reconfigure systems in real time allows hospitals to keep pace with changing patient needs and technological advancements.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Integration of AI systems to the operating room
  • Flexibility in the design of operating room information pathways
  • SMART methodology: Standardisation, Modularity, Adaptability, Reliability and Technology integration

  15.00

  Panel discussion

  15.30 - 16.00Video+Poster Gallery, exhibition, coffee and networking

  + View gallery

  16.00 - 17.15

  Session 26

   - Designing for virtual care

  

  Chair: Jonathan Erskine, Director, European Health Property Network, UK

  

  Jonathan Erskine

  Director, European Health Property Network, UK

  Jonathan Erskine is the Executive director of the European Health Property Network (www.euhpn.eu) and a researcher at the Centre for Public Policy and Health (CPPH), School for Medicine, Pharmacy and Health, Durham University, UK. His research interests are in the areas of health service reform, the boundaries between primary and secondary care, and the relationship between the design of health service systems and the built healthcare environment. Jonathan has had a long association with the European Health Property Network and, until recently, was also a non-executive director with NHS Stockton Primary Care Trust, and vice-chair of the Board. He has co-authored chapters in two books, ‘Investing in Hospitals of the Future’, and ‘Capital Investment for Health: case studies from Europe’, produced in collaboration with the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies. His research at the CPPH, Durham University, has recently focused on the use of Lean in healthcare systems, particularly in relation to the ‘North East Transformation System’ – a region-wide quality improvement programme, which encompasses commissioning and provider NHS organisations. The report on this research was published in December 2014.

  16.00

  Building trust: Designing for remote care – insights from an international multidisciplinary symposium

  Deane Harder, Research professor for corporate development, strategy, sustainability and system dynamics, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland

  

  Deane Harder

  Research professor for corporate development, strategy, sustainability and system dynamics, Bern University of Applied Sciences, Switzerland

  Deane Harder is a lecturer at the business school of the Bern University of Applied Sciences, where his work bridges the worlds of management, innovation and human-centred design. With a professional background as a management consultant, Deane Harder has advised organisations across sectors on strategic transformation, cultivating a nuanced understanding of how businesses navigate the complexities of change, and developing new marketable solutions. His academic research focuses on the intersection of innovation, customer empathy and behavioural economics, exploring how organisations can design better experiences by addressing resistance to change and innovation and understanding the underlying drivers of human behaviour.

  Emma Nadol, Project lead service design, Swiss Center for Design and Health, Switzerland

  

  Emma Nadol

  Project lead service design, Swiss Center for Design and Health, Switzerland

  Emma Nadol works as a Project lead for service design at the Swiss Center for Design and Health (SCDH), where her work focuses on advancing care services, hospital-at-home models and evidence-based innovations in healthcare systems. She holds a Master’s degree in Service Design from the Royal College of Art, London, and a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Design. Her professional journey includes consulting experience with Deloitte in Munich and specialised training in project management and entrepreneurial studies from London Business School and Imperial College Business School. Emma’s interdisciplinary expertise integrates design, research and strategy, underpinned by a background in mechanical engineering. This diverse foundation equips her to address the systemic complexities of healthcare delivery through service design methodologies, emphasising accessibility, inclusivity and sustainability. Her work is characterised by a commitment to co-creation and the practical application of evidence-based practices to improve patient-centred care while navigating the unique constraints of healthcare systems. Emma’s focus lies in bridging academic research with actionable strategies to create meaningful, impactful and sustainable healthcare solutions.

  David Wollschlegel, Interaction designer, Swiss Center for Design and Health, Switzerland

  

  David Wollschlegel

  Interaction designer, Swiss Center for Design and Health, Switzerland

  David Wollschlegel is an Interaction designer at the Swiss Center for Design and Health (SCDH) and is responsible for the conception, development and operation of the technical infrastructure in the Living Lab. Furthermore, he brings in technological and digital expertise into a broad range of projects. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Interaction Design from the Zurich University of the Arts and has a background in computer science, specifically web development. His passion is the healthcare sector because he likes working closely with and for humans, as well as the technical complexity of this system.

  Minou Afzali, Head of research, Swiss Center for Design and Health, Switzerland

  

  Minou Afzali

  Head of research, Swiss Center for Design and Health, Switzerland

  Minou Afzali is Head of research at the Swiss Centre for Design and Health – Switzerland’s national competence centre at the interface between people, healthcare, design and architecture. Prior to that, she was Deputy head of the Institute of Design Research and Professor of Social Design at Bern Academy of Applied Sciences. She was also the co-ordinator of an interdisciplinary research group at the Bern University of Applied Sciences including experts from the fields of design, architecture, nursing, medical informatics and economics. Minou is a trained product designer and holds a PhD in Social Anthropology from the University of Bern where she wrote her dissertation on the role of design in culture-specific nursing homes in Switzerland.

  Rahel Inauen, Project lead design research, Swiss Center for Design and Health, Switzerland

  

  Rahel Inauen

  Project lead design research, Swiss Center for Design and Health, Switzerland

  Rahel works as a Project lead for design research projects at the Swiss Center for Design and Health (SCDH). In this role she co-ordinates and contributes to various projects on the intersection of design and health. Rahel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design from the Academy of Art and Design, Basel and a Master’s Degree in Social Design from the Bern Academy of the Arts (HKB). After several years of working for various studios and clients in the Netherlands and Switzerland in the fields of product, communication and social design, Rahel was employed at the Hochschule der Künste Bern in various functions, including assisting and teaching in the MA Design and managing the Academy's internal continuing education programme. In 2019, Rahel became a member of the Health Care Communication Design research group, which brings together researchers from the fields of design, architecture, nursing, medical informatics and economics, in 2022 Rahel joined the SCDH. Rahel's expertise integrates design, applied research and aspects of education and didactics, and is supported by a strong interest in interdisciplinary processes, tackling complex challenges and methods such as co-design, participatory design, user-centred processes, prototyping and simulation.

  Rahul Chodhari, Consultant paediatrician, The Royal Free London Foundation Trust, United Kingdom

  

  Rahul Chodhari

  Consultant paediatrician, The Royal Free London Foundation Trust, United Kingdom

  Dr. Rahul Chodhari is a Consultant Paediatrician at The Royal Free London Foundation Trust, boasting over two decades of frontline acute hospital expertise. He has seamlessly integrated multisite clinical services and successfully navigated his teams through Trust mergers. With expertise in change management related to service transfers and the implementation of electronic patient records, Dr. Chodhari excels in supporting clinical teams through transformative periods. As the Medical Productivity Lead, collaborating with finance and operations colleagues, he serves as an expert on clinical demand/capacity modelling, team-based service/job planning, and annualised/flexible rostering. As a pivotal member of the clinical workforce team at NHSE, Dr. Chodhari has cultivated relationships with NHS employers, NHS Providers, Royal Colleges, AoMRC, and BMA. Notably, in his role as the Associate Medical Director of Innovation, he plays a key role in advancing the ambitions of the New Hospital Program with transformative ideas.

  Nirit Pilosof, Head of research in innovation and transformation, Sheba Medical Center; Faculty member, Tel Aviv University, Israel

  

  Nirit Pilosof

  Head of research in innovation and transformation, Sheba Medical Center; Faculty member, Tel Aviv University, Israel

  Nirit Pilosof, PhD, is an architect and researcher exploring the intersection of healthcare, technology and architecture. She is a Faculty member at the Coller School of Management, Tel Aviv University, and an Associate of Cambridge Judge Business School (CJBS) at the University of Cambridge in the UK. She is also Head of research in healthcare transformation at Sheba Medical Center, a Fellow of Cambridge Digital Innovation (CDI) at the University of Cambridge, and the Executive Member of Israel at the International Union of Architects (UIA) Public Health Group. Dr Pilosof holds a PhD from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, a Post-Professional MArch from McGill University, and an Evidence-Based Design Accreditation and Certification (EDAC) from the Center for Health Design in the USA. She gained experience in the design process of major medical facilities as a project manager at leading architecture firms in Israel and Canada and won international awards, including the prestigious American Institute of Architects (AIA) Academy of Architects for Health Award, the American Hospital Association (AHA) graduate fellowship, the McGill graduate fellowship and the Azrieli Foundation fellowship.

  + View abstract

  Building trust: Designing for remote care – insights from an international multidisciplinary symposium

  Abstract Copy

  Remote care and the use of telemedicine technologies are transforming healthcare services, yet little is known about the critical interplay of remote technologies, the built environment and human factors. This triad shapes how care is delivered and experienced, requiring thoughtful design to support both functional and emotional dimensions of care and cultivate trust as a foundational element in the success of remote healthcare.
  
  To investigate these intersections, the Swiss Center for Design and Health (SCDH) convened international experts from various disciplines for a symposium on 'Building trust: Designing for remote care' in July 2024. The symposium centred on a two-day simulation workshop with full-scale physical mock-ups using remote technologies in a living lab. Participants explored four scenarios that represented diverse cases of remote care delivery in hospital and home environments:
  1. post-operative discharge involving a remote care robot in a single-patient hospital room;
  2. shared surgical decision making through remote consultation, including a specialist, a family physician and relatives, in a semi-private hospital room;
  3. remote cardiac care of an elderly patient in home hospitalisation;
  4. telepsychiatry session for a young adult within the family home environment.
  
  To capture the complexity of these care scenarios, participants observed each scenario from dual perspectives – once from the perspective of patients and family members and a second time from the perspective of the remote medical staff. Insights were gleaned through subsequent debriefing sessions and a structured plenary discussion. The simulations revealed that both technical and human factors significantly influence trust-building.
  
  Physical variables, such as the quality of audio, video or lighting, proved essential to establishing effective remote connections and care. Critical were challenges around privacy and empathy. Multi-bed hospital rooms, for instance, posed risks to conversational confidentiality during video consultations. Additionally, the virtual nature of these interactions highlighted the role of non-verbal cues that typically are necessary to build rapport in traditional face-to-face care. Subsequently, the role of on-site healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, proved essential as mediators between patients and remote physicians. These professionals not only facilitate the technical aspects of remote communication but also help to preserve the human dimension of care in virtual interactions.
  
  The insights from the symposium are currently being analysed to develop recommendations and guidelines to inform decision makers, healthcare managers, architects, designers, developers of new technologies, educators and medical staff, enabling them to realise the full potential of remote care models while maintaining high standards of patient care and trust.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Investigation of the intersection of remote technologies, built environments and human experience in healthcare delivery
  • Integration of telemedicine technologies in hospital and home environments through simulation testing
  • Development of preliminary design recommendations for trust-building in remote care models

  16.20

  VRCONNECT: A VRx-centred remote care system ticking all the boxes of healthcare challenges

  Harry van Goor, Professor of surgical education, Radboudumc, Netherlands

  

  Harry van Goor

  Professor of surgical education, Radboudumc, Netherlands

  Harry van Goor, MD, PhD, FRCS is a Professor of surgical education and innovator at the Radboud University Medical Center (Radboudumc). He leads several technology tracks in the ‘less bricks, more bytes, different behaviour’ programme to improve the care and wellbeing of patients and healthcare workers in and outside the hospital, including intuitive personalised wayfinding, continuous monitoring with wearable devices and predictive analytics, VR therapy and VR education, ambient intelligence and personalised healing environments in the hospital and at home. He runs a project of home-facilitated VR (p)rehabilitation (e.g. long-Covid rehab) and VR4Pain management in a virtually connected care solution. Harry has published over 400 peer-reviewed papers in a broad field of surgical care, medical device development and digital technology-supported care innovation. He coaches several start-up companies in the field of digital technology-supported healthcare and design in a ‘learning by doing’ and ‘digital by design’ way. Harry was awarded Digital Innovator of the Year 2022 in the Netherlands. He is a Frank Lloyd Wright connoisseur, living with his wife in a FLW-designed Usonian house.

  + View abstract

  VRCONNECT: A VRx-centred remote care system ticking all the boxes of healthcare challenges

  Abstract Copy

  Healthcare continues to be confronted with critical challenges, including rising costs, suboptimal patient experiences, healthcare equity issues, workforce shortages and a planetary health emergency. Digital technology holds the promise to address these challenges. However, current solutions lack integration and insufficiently transform the siloed healthcare system into a ‘blurred boundaries’ system.
  
  We are proposing a new ecosystem of ‘digital-by-design connected health and care’ where people manage themselves at home using virtual reality therapeutics (VRx), monitored and supported at a distance by AI virtual agents, backed up by digital nurse (assistant) specialists and on demand by primary care and hospital caregivers collaborating in the 'MediVeRse', with the possibility of referral to a physical infrastructure that is equipped for this ‘virtuality first to reality second’ approach. The ecosystem is personalised and value-based by design, enables preventive measures and behaviour, and leads to rethinking healthcare spaces. It challenges the standard physical, social, technical cultural, financial and medico-legal interactions between patients, providers and payers.
  
  We built this new ecosystem step by step in practice-oriented research settings, gradually introducing more digital technology for the use case of pre- and rehabilitation in elective surgery. The first step was IMNEAR-1, where volunteers were performing multiple VR exercises according to a fit4surgery protocol, remotely monitored and supported by caregivers of an independent medical service centre 24/7, with seamless consultation of community and hospital caregivers by video. In IMNEAR-1, the (data)-interconnectivity and integration of a wearable consumer device, a VR headset and an analytic and operational platform was tested for feasibility and initial effectiveness.
  
  In IMNEAR-2, patients who were physical and mentally preparing for colorectal and joint replacement surgery were included, validating this new approach for cost-effectiveness. A proof-of-concept study was performed with an AI virtual agent as the first line of on demand support. Further a virtual ‘campus’ was built to serve as a digital space to encounter professionals, engage in preventive health activities and individually manage the expectations and uncertainties of the surgery and hospital stay.
  
  We will present the results of IMNEAR-1 and -2 and demonstrate the benefits of VRCONNECT in promoting patient self-management, therapy adherence, satisfaction and functioning, relieving the burden of community and hospital caregivers, reducing costs of fit4surgery by half, and improving accessibility and inclusivity. The results are put in perspective of existing literature on digital healthcare transformation. We will consider the consequences for both hospital and community practice design and operations of this ‘reality to virtuality’ approach.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • To understand the concept of the digital-by-design VR-connected care ecosystem with its challenges in replacing standard care
  • To know the power of practice-oriented research on step-by-step digital transforming healthcare
  • To hypothesise on the main consequences of care in the MediVeRse on hospital and community practice design and services

  16.40

  Integration of immersive virtual environments in healthcare research and design

  Michelle Pearson, Associate professor, Interior design program director, Texas Tech University, USA

  

  Michelle Pearson

  Associate professor, Interior design program director, Texas Tech University, USA

  Dr. Michelle Pearson is an Associate professor in the Department of Design at Texas Tech University. She holds a Master of Science in Environmental Design and a Doctor of Philosophy in Interior Environmental Design, both from Texas Tech University. Dr. Pearson’s research focuses on designing for health and wellness, particularly for children, with an emphasis on integrating natural elements into interior spaces. Her research explores diverse topics, including the impact of art and window murals in healthcare environments, the application of virtual reality (VR) and Immersive virtual realities (IVR) in healthcare design, and the design of a Malawian early childhood development centre. She is also the co-author of 'Designing for Autism Spectrum Disorders'. Dr. Pearson's scholarship has earned recognition through numerous prestigious awards, including the IDEC Engaged Scholarship Award, the ASID Joel Polsky Prize and the IIDA Design Excellence Award in Research – Book Award, among others.

  Nishan Khatiwada, Research assistant, Texas Tech University, USA

  

  Nishan Khatiwada

  Research assistant, Texas Tech University, USA

  Nishan Khatiwada, a first-generation student from Nepal, is currently pursuing a PhD in Interior and Environmental Design at the Department of Design at Texas Tech University. His academic journey, fueled by a deep curiosity and passion for design, has led him to focus on creating spaces that positively impact lives, particularly children, with a Bachelor's degree in Architecture and a Master's in Environmental Design. Nishan's research interests include healing space designs, sensory design, child-centred design and sustainability. He particularly emphasises the unique needs of children on the autism spectrum. He aims to develop environments that foster wellbeing, support learning and provide comfort and healing. Driven by a deep-seated desire to contribute to a more inclusive, sustainable world, Nishan's work is firmly rooted in the belief that design can be a potent tool for social change. His research aims to bridge the gap between aesthetics and functionality, using design to create spaces that nurture physical, mental and emotional health. Nishan's work is driven by the conviction that well-designed spaces can transform lives, enhance wellbeing and positively impact communities. He hopes to use his knowledge and research to advocate for designs that improve the quality of life for all individuals, especially children.

  + View abstract

  Integration of immersive virtual environments in healthcare research and design

  Abstract Copy

  Immersive virtual environments (IVEs) are advanced virtual reality (VR) environments that provide fully interactive, multisensory experiences, distinguishing themselves from traditional 3D models through heightened realism and engagement (Baritome, 2023). Their versatility makes them a transformative tool in healthcare research, addressing key challenges such as the ethical complexities of working with vulnerable populations, maintaining confidentiality and managing high implementation costs (Goncalves et al., 2012).
  
  While VR has historically been employed as a distraction tool to alleviate pain and anxiety in medical settings (Richey et al., 2022), its standard applications often lack the immersive depth needed to replicate real-world conditions accurately (Rahim et al., 2024). IVEs, by contrast, immerse participants in lifelike, sensory-rich environments through a fusion of visual, auditory and tactile stimuli, enabling researchers to collect nuanced, real-time data (Smith, 2015; Joseph et al., 2020). This heightened level of realism makes IVEs particularly well suited for investigating the complex interplay between environmental design and patient wellbeing. By simulating real-world healthcare settings, IVEs also allow researchers to safely test interventions, optimise designs and explore patient-centric solutions in a controlled and cost-effective manner. Despite their potential, IVEs remain underutilised in healthcare design research (Joseph et al., 2020).
  
  This research explores the integration of IVEs as a methodology in healthcare design research. A systematic literature review was conducted using Google Scholar and CINAHL Complete, focusing on empirical studies published since 2012 that employed IVEs in the context of healthcare and architectural design. Analysis identified several key applications for IVEs in healthcare settings, including:
  1. navigation and spatial cognition research;
  2. studying the relationship between the built environment and human behaviour;
  3. design evaluations (pre-occupancy and post-occupancy);
  4. supporting decision making in space planning, layout testing and perception studies;
  5. testing environmental variables such as colour preferences, acoustics, lighting and window views.
  
  By integrating IVE technology into the design process, researchers can adopt a scalable, patient-centred approach to evaluating and implementing design solutions in healthcare environments. This methodology bridges art, technology and architectural design, enabling more rigorous, empathetic and efficient explorations of healthcare spaces. IVEs represent a transformative opportunity to innovate healthcare design research, offering new pathways for enhancing patient outcomes and environmental efficacy.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Understand the role of IVEs in healthcare research
  • Analyse applications of IVEs in design evaluation
  • Evaluate the impact of IVEs on patient outcomes

  17.00

  Panel discussion

  End of Science, technology and digital transformation stream

• Tertiary care

  Council Chamber

  08.45 - 10.15

  Session 27

   - Design research and the patient experience

  

  Chair: David Allison FAIA, FACHA, Alumni distinguished professor; Director of architecture + health, Clemson University, USA

  

  David Allison FAIA, FACHA

  Alumni distinguished professor; Director of architecture + health, Clemson University, USA

  David Allison FAIA, FACHA is an Alumni distinguished professor and has served as the Director of Graduate Studies in Architecture + Health [A+H] at Clemson University since 1990. His teaching, research and scholarship involve the study of relationships between health, healthcare and the built environment. The A+H programme at Clemson is nationally recognised for its focused curriculum and emphasis on design excellence within the discipline of healthcare architecture. It is committed to the integration of innovative design with academic scholarship and research in healthcare environments and healthy community planning and design, and it has won numerous national and international programme and student awards for its work under Professor Allison’s direction. Professor Allison is also a licensed architect in South and North Carolina as well as a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). He is also a board-certified, founding member and Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Architects (ACHA), currently serves on the ACHA Board of Regents, and received its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019. He is the founder of the Architecture for Health Educators Summit, held annually as part of the joint AIA/AAH and ACHA Summer Leadership Summit. He is also a co-founder of an annual AIA Academy of Architecture for Health (AAH) South Atlantic Regional Conference. He was selected in 2007 as one of 'Twenty Making a Difference' nationally by Healthcare Design Magazine and identified again in 2009, 2010 and 2012 by a national poll conducted by the magazine as “one of the most influential people in healthcare design”. Design Intelligence Magazine named him one of the nation's 30 Most Admired Design Educators in 2013-14 and again in 2019. He was also recognised by the Center for Health Design as its 2019 Changemaker.

  08.45

  The therapeutic power of the Maggie’s Centre: Experience, design and wellbeing – where architecture meets neuroscience

  Caterina Frisone, Scientific director, Università IUAV di Venezia, Italy

  

  Caterina Frisone

  Scientific director, Università IUAV di Venezia, Italy

  Caterina Frisone is the founder and Scientific director of the Master in Architecture and Health, a course that she designed after five years of experience (2017–2022) in the healthcare sector in England. For her PhD in Architecture of Care at Oxford Brookes University, she tested the hypotheses of her research by visiting hospitals and healthcare facilities across the country and lived for four months in three different Maggie's Centres (cancer care centres) where she carried out her fieldwork, personally testing the therapeutic role that high-quality architecture has on people. Exploring this theme and investigating the interdisciplinarity between architecture and neuroscience, her book 'The Therapeutic Power of Maggie's Centre' (Routledge, 2024) aims to inspire architects, doctors, students and all those who research the relationship between architecture and health.

  + View abstract

  The therapeutic power of the Maggie’s Centre: Experience, design and wellbeing – where architecture meets neuroscience

  Abstract Copy

  In my book, based on my PhD thesis, I investigated the postulate of Maggie's Lead psychologist, Lesley Howells, who maintains that "the synergy between people and place allows psychological flexibility" – that is, a state of mind so flexible in its users that it constitutes a therapeutic environment. In this seemingly calm environment, however, other emotional phenomena that lead people to say, often in tears: "I don't know what this is", "I can't explain it" occur. To find out "what is exactly in a Maggie's Centre that generates a therapeutic power", I decided to explore neuroscience.
  
  By bringing to the reader’s attention people’s behaviours from a biological point of view in response to Maggie’s unconventional architecture, this book explains the ability of the Maggie’s Centre to generate emotional phenomena and, therefore, why we can talk about its therapeutic power. In this, the book critically evaluates Maggie's as a model to be applied to other facilities. The ultimate purpose of the book is to raise awareness in the reader of what a therapeutic environment is, in order to be able to recognise it in any architecture that makes one feel well.
  
  Wanting to deepen my understanding of the impact that the therapeutic environment has on Maggie’s users and how they respond to it biologically, in writing this book I turned to neuroscience primarily for two aspects: that of ‘perception’ (i.e. the experience triggered by movement and in which the brain serves to “predict the future, to anticipate the consequences of action” – scientifically demonstrated by the discovery of mirror neurons) and that of ‘emotions and feelings’ in the experiential process of which, again thanks to movement, the related brain structures are “those necessary for reasoning and to culminate in decision making”.
  
  Although comfort and atmosphere are essential, they are not enough to define Maggie's therapeutic environment. It is only by looking at neuroscience, which can scientifically explain feelings and emotions, and by considering the space neither neutral nor empty, but full of forces that envelop people in an 'embodied experience', that we can understand what generates wellbeing at Maggie's. Aware that I have just begun to delve into neuroscience, in this book I only opened a door to its vast knowledge. However, since other perspectives are needed, this book is an even broader invitation to delve into the subject.
  
  
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Explain how the built environment influences our visual perception and our behaviour
  • Facilitate the reader, layperson or not in neuroscience, in understanding the relationship between the two disciplines, highlighting the advantages that this mixture would bring and encouraging greater consideration in future projects
  • Understand what the 'embodied experience' is

  09.05

  Chemotherapy day units: A pilot study to understand the operational impacts of patient-centred design

  Tara Veldman, Managing director and health lead, BLP, Australia

  

  Tara Veldman

  Managing director and health lead, BLP, Australia

  Tara is the Managing director, Principal and Health lead, instrumental in the expansion of BLP. She brings 25 years of experience and a dedication to designing a healthy world in a cross-section of spaces, including hospitals, health hubs, education precincts, high-tech research labs and residential communities. Combining her interests in psychology, art and architecture, Tara is fascinated by how buildings and spaces make people feel. Her passion for sustainable architecture is inspired by her time living in Australia, the Netherlands, Frankfurt and the Middle East. These life experiences have driven her to create designed environments and places that work and complement their urban setting while using and integrating nature and the natural landscape where possible. Underpinning projects with evidence-based design, Tara's work exemplifies innovation, strategic thinking and best practice. She is a regular contributor to health design conferences and seminars, presenting alongside some of the world's most respected thought leaders in the sector both at home and abroad. Grounded in research and insight, Tara's human-centred design approach and active stakeholder engagement allow the voices of those who will occupy the spaces to be heard. Design outcomes are considered and impactful and exceed both her clients' and the end users' expectations.

  Mark Mitchell, Principal and Health sector lead, Billard Leece Partnership, Australia

  

  Mark Mitchell

  Principal and Health sector lead, Billard Leece Partnership, Australia

  Mark has been instrumental in the growth and specialisation of the healthcare sector at BLP. As Principal and Health lead, he is recognised as an innovative thought leader who shares his expertise globally. With a portfolio of successful large-scale (exceeding $1.5 billion) healthcare projects in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong, Mark champions a collaborative design approach that engages all stakeholders through the development process. He facilitates transformational human-centred design outcomes that move beyond standardised environments, creating a hybrid of typologies and spaces, where patients, families, healthcare staff and communities flourish and heal.

  + View abstract

  Chemotherapy day units: A pilot study to understand the operational impacts of patient-centred design

  Abstract Copy

  While research confirms the role of the built environment in supporting more positive experiences of cancer care, little research has been conducted regarding the operational implications of increasingly patient-centred design approaches. Further, much of the knowledge accessible to architects and stakeholders about what patients prefer within chemotherapy treatment environments is anecdotal. This can lead to marked variances in the briefing of new oncology facilities, even where these are being procured in the same city, at the same time – sometimes even by the same architect. This presentation presents pilot findings from an innovative research study that aims to understand the advantages and disadvantages of different design approaches to chemotherapy day units, relative to balancing a patient-centred environment, while supporting staff to deliver safe and efficient care.
  
  The study is an analysis of the architectural designs of five chemotherapy day units within Australia, where all were selected for their distinct (and varied) approaches to architectural design. The study interrogates how well the space is designed relative to visibility of patients; ease of movement around the unit; ease of access to equipment and supplies; and overall ambiance. It includes two days of spatial use observations conducted at each of the five sites, complemented by a short online survey engaging 12–18 patients at each site to deliver a comprehensive understanding of the advantages / disadvantages of each design approach. This study is the result of an industry-defined need, arising from an innovative methodological approach taken to collaboration between an academic researcher and a leading healthcare practice.
  
  Pilot findings reiterate the challenge of balancing privacy for patients with clear sight lines for nursing care, validating the intent of the broader study to examine a range of architectural strategies that aspire to strike this balance in different ways.
  
  In presenting the pilot findings, this presentation will take the opportunity of evaluating the usefulness of an innovative research method in progress. The method, custom developed for this study, brings together methods and expertise, not often combined within evidence-based design, and practice-based research methods, with those from academia to obtain a more tangible and comprehensive understanding of the design of chemotherapy day units. As the method was designed to suit the constraints of practice relative to efficiencies of time and resources, it presents a valuable approach for healthcare design professionals more broadly.

  Learning Objectives

  • Proposing a methodological approach for understanding the built environment's contribution to healthcare more comprehensively
  • Proposing research methods better studied to the constraints of practice
  • Promoting the benefits of academic researchers working more closely with practice

  09.25

  Reactivating Hospital: Active patients through spatial design

  Femke Feenstra, Architect, Gortemaker Algra Feenstra architects, The Netherlands

  

  Femke Feenstra

  Architect, Gortemaker Algra Feenstra architects, The Netherlands

  Femke Feenstra is Board architect, Interior architect and Partner in architectural firm Gortemaker Algra Feenstra (G.A.F). The firm is building a bridge between innovation and tradition – between knowledge accumulated over many years and young, fresh ideas. The G.A.F office often works on assignments in healthcare and wellbeing. Additionally, the firm specialises in research and development. Feenstra received her education at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague and at the Rotterdam Academy of Architecture and Urban Design. She thinks it’s important for designers to look outside of their own fields of expertise, and at how designers can contribute to the future of the living environment. Presently, Feenstra is working on a range of research and projects in close co-operation with clients and users.

  + View abstract

  Reactivating Hospital: Active patients through spatial design

  Abstract Copy

  In our mindset, hospitals are very much focused on sickness, waiting and beds, which results in a passive attitude from the visitor in this medical bastion. Why are we treating our patients so passively?
  
  Especially for vulnerable patients, spending time in hospital has a strong negative influence on the human body and surgery worsens this influence. The overall physical state of patients worsens and their wellbeing and autonomy decreases. However, when patients stay active during their stay in hospital, on the other hand, fewer negative effects occur. The risk of complications reduces, and patients recover better and more quickly. Studies have shown that only 15 per cent of patients should actually stay in bed during their hospitalisation. To address these challenges, Gortemaker Algra Feenstra architects developed the concept of the 'Reactivating Hospital', transforming hospitals into spaces that promote activity and wellbeing.
  
  The Reactivating Hospital aims to encourage more active hospital stays by redesigning the spatial environment, particularly in inpatient wards. The goal is to foster healthier behaviours and improve recovery outcomes during and after hospitalisation.
  
  The concept reimagines hospital routines by incorporating a rhythm of eight hours of activation, eight hours of relaxation and eight hours of sleep. Spatial interventions are designed to encourage movement, inviting patients to transition from bed to room, corridor, ward and beyond. Key features include:
  • redesigning patient rooms with living spaces to reduce bed usage;
  • introducing corridor niches themed around 'Seeing', 'Hearing', 'Writing', and 'Exercising';
  • creating communal areas for activities and relaxation.
  
  The research, conducted at Diakonessenhuis in collaboration with TNO, employed qualitative and exploratory methods, including focus groups, patient observations and structured questionnaires.
  
  Initial findings from the 'Reactiverend Rijnstate' project at Rijnstate Hospital in Arnhem show that patients (geriatrics and oncology) responded positively to the interventions. Patients spent more time out of bed, participated in activities and reported improved mental and physical wellbeing. Staff saw increased motivation in patients and felt supported by the tools provided to facilitate activation. Interventions such as thematic niches, lounges, outdoor space, exercise routes and redesigned room layouts improved patient safety and self-confidence and encouraged movement and social interaction.
  
  In addition to the existing research, we have recently worked on the evaluation and validation of the concept in the built setting, such as at Rijnstate Hospital. Future research will focus on scaling up the concept and improving even more quantitative data collection.
  
  

  09.45

  Panel discussion

  10.15 - 10.45Video+Poster Gallery, exhibition, coffee and networking

  + View gallery

  10.45 - 12.30

  Session 28

   - Inclusive mental health design

  

  Chair: Lianne Knotts, Director, Medical Architecture, UK

  

  Lianne Knotts

  Director, Medical Architecture, UK

  Lianne has over 17 years of experience in healthcare design. Her wide-ranging expertise in the sector covers mental and acute health facilities, with work focusing on the needs of both adults and children. She was Lead architect for the award-winning Ferndene, a children and young people’s centre in Northumberland, and Rose Lodge Assessment and Treatment Centre, winner of 'Best Social Care Design' at the Building Better Healthcare Awards. Lianne is a Director, leading the Newcastle Studio alongside Paul Yeomans. Her strengths lie in early project stages, particularly leading stakeholder engagement and clinical planning, which has led Lianne to work collaboratively worldwide with local architect and clinical teams. A passionate advocate for designing high-quality, therapeutic inpatient environments, Lianne is a Trustee of the Design in Mental Health Network. With her past experience as a Professional examiner for RIBA Part 3 at Newcastle University, she leads the mentoring of Medical Architecture's recent graduates and is responsible for ensuring the wellbeing of the team as well as being a Careers enterprise advisor with the North East Local Enterprise Partnership. As well as working on a number of UK projects, Lianne continues to lead Medical Architecture's overseas collaborations, currently working on projects in Toronto, Canada and with Health Prince Edward Island in a technical advisory role.

  10.45

  Transforming mental healthcare: Innovative design, planning and community collaboration at Montfort Hospital’s Mental Health Emergency Zone

  Cédric du Montier, Associate, Parkin Architects, Canada

  

  Cédric du Montier

  Associate, Parkin Architects, Canada

  Cédric du Montier, a project architect, brings over 15 years of experience and specialises in healthcare projects of varying scales and complexities. Fluently bilingual, Cédric has been involved in all phases of project development, from initial design to completion, and plays a key role in contract administration. His extensive experience provides him with a profound understanding of institutional client needs and the intricacies of large-scale facility operations. Cédric’s expertise ensures that projects are executed with precision and efficiency, addressing both functional and operational requirements with exceptional skill.

  Kimberley Kennedy, Principal, Parkin Architects, Canada

  

  Kimberley Kennedy

  Principal, Parkin Architects, Canada

  Kimberley Kennedy, Senior project architect, brings over 20 years of experience in healthcare architecture and project management to her role. With a focus on client satisfaction, she excels at understanding clients’ needs and exceeding their expectations through evidence-based planning, phasing strategies and the latest technological advancements. Kimberley’s expertise in programming, architectural and interior design, and project management enables her to work effectively, both individually and collaboratively, with teams. Her dedication to delivering high-quality results has made her a trusted partner in the industry.

  + View abstract

  Transforming mental healthcare: Innovative design, planning and community collaboration at Montfort Hospital’s Mental Health Emergency Zone

  Abstract Copy

  The presentation will explore the intersection of design, clinical care and the creation of healing environments, focusing on three key themes critical to advancing mental health care: population health, the intersection of design and clinical medicine, and the role of interior design and architecture in promoting wellbeing. Drawing on the principles of Empath Units, the presentation will highlight how architectural interventions have transformed the care experience for patients and staff, with a particular focus on Montfort Hospital’s new Mental Health Emergency Zone.
  
  Initially, the presentation will examine the shift from a traditional, sickness-oriented care model to one that fosters wellness through integrated, holistic care. Empath Units exemplify this transformation by offering collaborative, non-coercive care that prioritises patient wellbeing. These units use communal 'milieu' spaces, rather than isolated rooms, to foster a sense of connection, healing and autonomy. This design approach aligns with broader efforts to create healthy communities through supportive care environments that encourage interaction and collective recovery.
  
  Secondly, the presentation will investigate how design and clinical medicine intersect to support effective care strategies. Montfort’s Mental Health Emergency Zone exemplifies the benefits of creating adaptive, humanistic environments that enhance patient outcomes. The space features calming elements like natural materials, soft lighting and therapeutic areas, which contribute to reducing anxiety and supporting patient recovery. The strategic design integrates psychiatric staff within close proximity to patients, enabling rapid interventions. Research shows that immediate, integrated care improves recovery times for individuals experiencing mental health crises.
  
  Finally, the presentation will explore how interior design and architecture can promote dignity, identity and recovery. The thoughtful integration of design elements such as comfortable waiting areas, sensory spaces and patient-controlled features (e.g. dimmable lighting, device chargers and water dispensers) empower patients by offering a sense of control during distressing moments. These design features help patients regain agency and support their journey to recovery. The space also prioritises staff wellbeing, with safety features and improved workflow for mental health emergencies, creating an environment that supports both patient and staff dignity.
  
  In conclusion, Montfort Hospital’s new Mental Health Emergency Zone demonstrates how integrated care models, empathetic design and patient-focused architecture can enhance mental health care. This innovative approach sets a new standard for healthcare environments, where patient autonomy, dignity and rapid clinical intervention converge to foster recovery and wellbeing.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Understand the role of design in transforming mental health care
  • Examine the intersection of design and new clinical delivery models in improving patient outcomes in mental health care
  • Explore the impact of interior design on patient autonomy, dignity and recovery

  11.05

  Post-implementation lessons learned for continued optimisation of physical environment

  Stence Guldager, Market director, Arkitema, Denmark

  

  Stence Guldager

  Market director, Arkitema, Denmark

  Stence Guldager, Architect cand.arch., graduated from Aarhus School of Architecture in 2000 and has completed supplementary education in leadership, strategy and stakeholder engagement. She serves as Market director, overseeing Arkitema’s projects within healthcare and public building sectors. With over 15 years of experience in hospital construction, she has led large-scale projects such as the new superhospital Regionshospitalet Gødstrup, the new emergency hospital SNR in Hjelset, Norway, and a new inpatient building in Esbjerg. Currently, Stence is involved in projects like the expansion of AUH Psychiatry in Skejby and the new Bispebjerg Hospital. Through her work in hospital and healthcare construction, Stence has developed specialist knowledge in her field and extensive experience with complex building projects involving numerous stakeholders. She has a deep understanding of processes and frameworks surrounding healthcare architecture and is well versed in concepts like healing architecture, evidence-based design and wayfinding. Additionally, she has gained significant expertise in user involvement, having conducted numerous processes that engage a wide range of stakeholders, including clinicians, technical staff, operations teams, patients and visitors.

  + View abstract

  Post-implementation lessons learned for continued optimisation of physical environment

  Abstract Copy

  In Denmark, there has been an increased focus on improving psychiatric treatment and conditions, particularly on reducing the use of coercive measures. At Arkitema, we have contributed to this effort by designing psychiatric hospitals that support these objectives, including facilities in Esbjerg, Vejle and Aarhus. Our goal is to highlight how these projects have evolved and demonstrate how we continuously refine and develop architectural solutions that provide the best conditions for patients. This includes creating activating environments that foster meaningful social interactions, encourage physical activity and support coherent patient care.
  
  Our design approach is grounded in the principles of healing architecture, where evidence and experience inform our decisions in key areas known to impact mental and physical health and wellbeing. These include optimising access to daylight, nature, materials, colours and building-integrated art.
  
  We aim to prevent aggressive behaviour and ensure safety for both patients and staff through architectural strategies such as wide corridors, improved acoustics, transparency and enhanced spatial oversight. Post-occupancy evaluations are conducted through interviews with leadership, operational teams and practitioners to collect insights and refine our approach.
  
  At the Esbjerg Psychiatry facility, the number of restraints and instances of forced sedative medication decreased by 69.9 per cent and 61.4 per cent, respectively, after moving into the new building. The number of patients subjected to coercive measures fell by 30.7 per cent
  .
  At Vejle Psychiatry, the number of belt restraints was reduced by approximately 50 per cent in the first year after relocation.
  
  At AUH Psychiatry, there was a 16 per cent reduction in dangerous situations and a noticeable increase in the overall sense of calm.
  
  These positive outcomes, as evidenced by surveys and feedback, underscore the combined impact of thoughtful design, visionary hospital management and ambitious treatment goals.
  
  Key insights from our projects, which continue to inform our ongoing work, include:
  - expanding courtyard spaces, particularly for patients in closed wards;
  - designing smaller, less institutional-looking patient rooms;
  - creating common areas that allow practitioners to engage with patients more actively, reducing the need for office-based work;
  - balancing transparency in shared spaces to enable both oversight and safe, private seating.
  
  As psychiatric treatment and methods evolve, follow-up evaluations and the exchange of experiences remain invaluable. These ongoing efforts enable us to apply learnings across projects, enhancing outcomes for future facilities.

  Learning Objectives

  • Psychiatry
  • Healing environment
  • Experience gathering

  11.25

  A best design practice conversation about post-traumatic stress disorder: Two Canadian case studies for first responders

  Guela Solow, Managing partner, ARK, Canada

  

  Guela Solow

  Managing partner, ARK, Canada

  As Founding partner, Guela’s vision for ARK is based on the creation of a practice which aspires to improve the human condition through design thinking. Challenging the boundaries of architecture to integrate art and culture, urban, interior and graphic design, the firm's award-winning portfolio varies greatly in scale from small neighbourhood interventions to campus urban design strategies, embracing budgetary constraints and diverse geographical contexts. A collaborative approach to design prioritises patient narratives in the context of healthcare imperatives, community voices, long-term asset management and evidence-based design. Rethinking architecture’s ability to impact health outcomes, Guela’s commitment to advancing research is demonstrated by a broad palette of academic endeavours including federal grants, academic appointments, critical theory and lecture engagements, both locally and internationally. Her work has been cited as “… an excellent example of the profound ability of art and architecture to transform space and the human experience”.

  Anisette Ruda, Medical student, Tel Aviv University, Israel

  

  Anisette Ruda

  Medical student, Tel Aviv University, Israel

  Anisette Ruda has a Bachelor of Arts in Medicine, Science and the Humanities from Johns Hopkins University, and is a 2026 MD candidate in the American Medical Program at the Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel. She was the recipient of the Outstanding Student Ward Award, Tel-Aviv University – Psychiatric Clinical Rotation, Ichilov Hospital; the Art of Medicine Award, First Place Award and Grant Recipient, Tel-Aviv University; and the Louis E. Goodman Aspiring Physician Award, Johns Hopkins University.

  Simon Ostapenko, Intern architect, ARK, Ukraine

  

  Simon Ostapenko

  Intern architect, ARK, Ukraine

  Simon Ostapenko has a degree in architecture and town planning from Prydniprovska State Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Ukraine.

  Son Van Huynh, Director of visualization, ARK, Canada

  

  Son Van Huynh

  Director of visualization, ARK, Canada

  Son Van Huynh has a Masters of Architecture from the Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design at the University of Toronto and is currently a PhD candidate at York University, Canada.

  + View abstract

  A best design practice conversation about post-traumatic stress disorder: Two Canadian case studies for first responders

  Abstract Copy

  "But now he is changed; he shepherds his thoughts in isolated places… former achievements of his own two hands, the most supreme accomplishments of his excellence, they have fallen, they have fallen, meaningless…"
  Sophocles 440 BCE
  
  Trauma-induced injuries to the mind echo throughout the narrative of human history. In Ajax, Sophocles captures the transformation of the protagonist war hero, whose ultimate suicide speaks to the tortured human psyche resulting from battlefield memories. While a plethora of historic tags have identified similar symptoms – shell-shock, war nerves, combat neurosis, soldier’s heart, battle fatigue – it was not until 1980, in the aftermath of the Vietnam War, that the acronym PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) was cited by the DSM-3 ('Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders', 3rd Edition) and recognised by the American Psychiatric Association in war veterans, holocaust survivors and sexual assault victims.
  
  Despite the prevalence of trauma-induced mental illness across cultures, geographies and generations, there are very few published studies which explore the impact of the environment as a mechanism to improve mental health outcomes for PTSD. A survey of treatment centres addresses mental health design generically, without PTSD specificity. This research paper explores the potential for the environment to act as an agent to facilitate the medical treatment of PTSD. Can architecture and design have a significant role in improving health outcomes for trauma-induced mental injury?
  
  Collaborating internationally with medical and architecture professionals, this question is explored through the critical analysis of clinical facility design. Creating prototypical design guidelines specifically for PTSI (post-traumatic stress ‘injury’ – the alternate name which addresses causation and destigmatisation), applicable during the design process and formulating evidence-based design criteria, this paper tests the efficacy of design as a significant player in healing outcomes.
  
  Station 3434 and the Caledon Centre are coupled centres of excellence developed by Runnymede Healthcare Centre to address the PTSI needs of first responders province-wide, currently in design at ARK’s Toronto studio. Beyond the hospital – in contrasting urban and rural locations – together the facilities are integrated case studies of a comprehensive spectrum of inpatient and outpatient care. Emergent critical therapies which have discernible implications for design fall into symptomatic baskets: triggers and memory, sleep and eating disorders, withdrawal and avoidance, dysfunction and lethargy. An architectural toolkit including built form, materiality and programmatic complexity creates a choreographed therapeutic experience and a platform for international engagement on best design practices.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Developing internationally applicable best design practices for PTSD clinical settings
  • Comparing and contrasting key design determinants for improved PTSD health outcomes, including inpatient vs outpatient care, rural vs urban contexts and the impact of materiality, scale, built form and programme
  • Critical thinking on the efficacy of architecture and design on the medical treatment of PTSD and whether varying patient cohorts should factor significantly in design methodology and development

  11.45

  Global lessons from Te Ao Mãori: Integrating cultural principles in mental health facility design

  Jorge Anaya, Principal health architect, Jacobs, New Zealand

  

  Jorge Anaya

  Principal health architect, Jacobs, New Zealand

  Jorge is a Principal health architect at Jacobs, based in Christchurch, New Zealand. He started his career in 2002 in Barcelona where he accumulated experience working on a wide range of different projects. Actively working across New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific region, Jorge shares extensive experience in the planning of health infrastructure which promote innovative models of care and that have a patient-centric approach.

  Jacque Jones, Associate – interior designer, Jacobs, Australia

  

  Jacque Jones

  Associate – interior designer, Jacobs, Australia

  Jacque has been a Senior interior designer with Jacobs for over four years with a health design focus. Jacque has over 30 years’ experience working with larger national and international architectural practices where she was Interior design lead and Team lead working on projects that have remote, regional and urban focus. This has afforded her the opportunity to develop skills where sensitive social resolution and balance is afforded. Jacque is currently involved in a range of health projects across Australia, including regional hospitals New Toowoomba Hospital in Queensland, which has a mental health short stay unit design, and St George Ambulatory Care Hospital in Sydney. Both facilities have large multicultural stakeholders. Jacque promotes the benefits of holistic design for wellbeing, and better cultural integration that is embedded in to the design enhancing greater healing out comes for all.

  Adam Flowers, Director, CCM Architects, New Zealand

  

  Adam Flowers

  Director, CCM Architects, New Zealand

  Adam is a Director of CCM Architects and leads the Health Architecture team. CCM Architects, previously Craig Craig Moller, was established in Wellington in 1969, and has established a reputation for high-quality design and health architecture across New Zealand. CCM has a collaborative model, often partnering with specialist health planners and health architects for the delivery of major health projects. This collaborative model includes the delivery in New Zealand of the new Te Nīkau Hospital and Integrated Family Health Centre in Greymouth, Christchurch Hospital Outpatients Buliding, Dunedin Hospital master planning, and Palmerston North Mental Health Unit with the Jacobs Health Planning and Health Architecture team. Adam is currently involved in a range of health projects across New Zealand, including regional hospital master planning, mental health unit design, private hospital development and departmental refurbishments. Adam promotes the benefits of quality design for wellbeing, and better iwi engagement for integration of Te Ao Māori into models-of-care and health facility design.

  + View abstract

  Global lessons from Te Ao Mãori: Integrating cultural principles in mental health facility design

  Abstract Copy

  It’s no secret that the prevalence of mental illness is increasing in society, which ultimately calls for an increasing number of acute care facilities. With changing societal attitudes towards mental illness, traditional models of care (originally centred around staff concerns) are shifting towards patient-centred approaches. Additionally, recognition is growing for the positive impact of nature on wellbeing, highlighting the need to incorporate natural elements into mental health facility design.
  
  The conference theme seeks to examine how we can transform existing facilities to cater to modern healthcare, however in Aotearoa New Zealand (and, indeed, other post-colonial nations) the existing infrastructure is often linked to a complex colonial history and Māori oppression. This case study, a new acute mental health facility in Palmerston North, presents a unique opportunity to integrate modern models of care with Te Ao Māori principles, emphasising the importance of relationships between nature and people.
  
  This project, commissioned by the New Zealand Government, involves the construction of a 28-bed acute mental health unit of approximately 3,000m². The client aimed to integrate whanau-centred (family-centred) care into the design. The design process was characterised by extensive stakeholder engagement, with early and continuous involvement of iwi (local social units or communities). Iwi representatives participated in workshops with clinicians, promoting mutual sharing of cultural and clinical needs. These sessions provided opportunities to discuss all aspects of the design from both kaupapa Māori and Māori design perspectives.
  
  Key insights gathered from these workshops included the need for reduced stress during the admissions process, high levels of privacy and dignity for service users, clear spaces for engagement with whanau and community groups, ease of assessment, diagnosis and treatment, and an environment that is residential, healing, prevents self-harm and is not overtly restrictive.
  
  The outcome is a culturally-sensitive design for a mental health facility that, while specific to Māori culture, offers valuable lessons for international projects. Key aspects such as the integration with nature, involvement of the family unit and holistic recovery approaches contribute to the global ecosystem of mental health care. The success of stakeholder engagement underscores the importance of incorporating consultation processes into project timelines, ensuring that best-practice mental health models of care are effectively translated into built form. This case study highlights the challenges and opportunities of adapting existing facilities to new models of care in a post-colonial society, demonstrating the potential for these principles to be applied internationally.

  12.05

  Panel discussion

  12.30 - 14.00Video+Poster Gallery, workshop, exhibition, lunch and networking

  + View gallery

  Lunchtime workshops

  + View info

  14.00 - 15.30

  Session 29

   - Innovations in design methods

  

  Chair: Cristiana Caira , Partner and Board director, White Arkitekter; Artistic professor, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden

  

  Cristiana Caira

  Partner and Board director, White Arkitekter; Artistic professor, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden

  Cristiana Caira, MArch, is Partner and Board director at White Arkitekter, Artistic professor of healthcare architecture at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, member of the Board at the European Health Property Network, and member of the Programme Committee for the European Healthcare Design Congress. Cristiana has 25 years of experience in planning complex healthcare environments in Scandinavia and internationally. Focused on increasing collaboration between practice, research and education, Cristiana has led major White Arkitekter healthcare projects, including the award-winning Södra Älvsborg Hospital Psychiatric Clinic, the Queen Silvia Children Hospital in Gothenburg and a large-scale extension of Karlstad Hospital. Her latest international project is the award-winning extension for the Panzi Hospital in Congo, in collaboration with the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dr Denis Mukwege. Cristiana is currently Healthcare design lead architect within the expert international team appointed to design Cambridge Children’s Hospital. Embedding research alongside clinical expertise in physical and mental child health, the hospital will be a state-of-the-art hospital designed to take care of the whole child.

  14.00

  Optimising the design of adolescent crisis stabilisation units: An approach integrating artificial intelligence, physical mock-up simulations and behavioural mapping

  Roxana Jafarifiroozabadi, Assistant professor, Texas A&M University, USA

  

  Roxana Jafarifiroozabadi

  Assistant professor, Texas A&M University, USA

  Dr. Roxana Jafari serves as a tenure-track Assistant professor of architecture and Ronald L. Skaggs, FAIA Endowed professor in health facilities design at the College of Architecture, Texas A&M University. Prior to joining Texas A&M School of Architecture, she served as an Assistant professor of architecture at the Lawrence Technological University in Michigan, USA. She has earned her Ph.D. in planning, design and the built environment (area of focus: built environment and health) from Clemson University and worked as a research assistant at the Center for Health Facilities Design and Testing (CHFDT), Clemson University. Her research incorporates human-centred design, evidence-based design and socio-technical systems approaches to improve occupants’ safety and wellbeing in high-stress, complex healthcare environments, such as operating rooms and intensive care units. To date, she has collaborated with multiple interdisciplinary teams of researchers and clinicians across the US on over $4 million of R01- and R03-funded projects by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), ranging from improving safety in operating room environments to the integration of telemedicine systems in ambulance environments. In addition, she has collaborated with industry sponsors (e.g. View Inc. and Haworth) and deployed innovative combined approaches utilising virtual reality (VR) technology (digital twins) alongside physical mock-ups to evaluate the impact of environmental factors (e.g. lighting or room configurations) on users’ preferences and comfort. Dr. Jafari’s interdisciplinary research projects have received national and international media coverage through SALUS Global Knowledge Exchange and Clemson News in South Carolina, USA.

  Cheng Zhang, Assistant professor, Texas A&M University, USA

  

  Cheng Zhang

  Assistant professor, Texas A&M University, USA

  Cheng Zhang is an Assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Texas A&M University (TAMU). Before joining TAMU, he spent two years as a Postdoctoral fellow in the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, working with Fernando De la Torre. He did his Ph.D. in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Ohio State University with Harry Chao and Dong Xuan. Zhang received his M.S. and B.Eng. degrees from BUPT and Tianjin University, respectively. His research interests are machine learning and its applications to computer vision, multimodal understanding, human modelling for extended reality and cyber-physical systems.

  Stephen Parker, Mental and behavioural health planner, Stantec, USA

  

  Stephen Parker

  Mental and behavioural health planner, Stantec, USA

  Stephen Parker is a dedicated Mental and behavioural health planner at Stantec with significant healthcare projects across the USA, Canada, China, Kenya, Australia and India. A Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Rising Star, Parker is a proponent of 'architect as advocate' for colleague, client and community alike, he believes strongly in leadership through service. Stephen has served a diverse client base, including the Cleveland Clinic, Kaiser Permanente and the US Department of Veterans Affairs, helping develop the VA’s new 'Inpatient Mental Health Design Guide'. An accomplished design researcher and pro-bono community designer, Stephen is a Behavioral Health Business Future Leader, AIA AAH Best Healthcare Designer Under 40, ENR Top 20 Under 40 Young Professional, HCD Rising Star, HFSE George Pressler Under 40 Award recipient, and ULI Health Leader. Stephen championed the AIA Strategic Council’s Mental Health and Architecture during the pandemic and is a US representative to the International Union of Architects’ Public Health Group. He currently serves as Associate director for the Design in Mental Health Network headquartered in England, founding member of the Center for Health Design’s Behavioral & Mental Health Environment Network, among other service leadership roles at organisations advocating for mental health environments around the globe.

  + View abstract

  Optimising the design of adolescent crisis stabilisation units: An approach integrating artificial intelligence, physical mock-up simulations and behavioural mapping

  Abstract Copy

  Physical mock-up simulations and behavioural mapping have been used in industry to evaluate and validate decision making during the design process of healthcare environments in recent years. The Health Quality Council of Alberta (HQCA) has published a framework for conducting simulation-based mock-up evaluations for healthcare environments ('Healthcare Facility Mock-up Evaluation Guidelines', 2020). However, there has been little attempt to leverage recent advancements in design development and visualisation made possible through artificial intelligence (AI) in combination with physical mock-up simulations to investigate behavioural patterns, improve the environment and optimise care processes for mental and behavioural health patients.
  
  This pilot study aims to bridge the research gaps mentioned above by incorporating AI-driven tools, such as computer vision and machine learning, into physical mock-up simulations to improve safety in care environments for adolescents experiencing mental and behavioural health crises. Three scenario-based simulations (20 minutes each) were conducted and video-recorded in a full-scale physical mock-up of a crisis stabilisation unit (CSU), in collaboration with a panel of experts consisting of clinicians and behavioural practice leaders (N=5) and healthcare designers (N=13) on a university campus. Participants’ feedback on different design features in the CSU (e.g. nursing stations and furniture) was obtained following each scenario through paper-based questionnaires, the failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) tool, and focus group discussions. The focus groups were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using MAXQDA (2022). Customised computer vision algorithms will be developed to identify and extract critical event clips that highlight challenging behaviours and unsafe interactions of participants with physical environmental features, such as furniture or contraband. The frequency of the identified events will be compared against manually coded ones using the Observer XT software (version 17.0), based on a modified coding scheme for challenging behaviour developed by Delgado et al. (2017). Descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations and percentages) will be used to analyse and report the data from observations, questionnaires and focus groups. All analyses are conducted using RStudio (RStudio Team, 2020).
  
  Findings from this study will build on the existing simulation-based mock-up evaluation tools and help healthcare designers and stakeholders optimise spatial layouts, environmental features and care processes in adolescent CSUs to better support patients experiencing mental and behavioural health crises. By proposing an innovative methodology integrating physical mock-up simulations, advancements in AI and behavioral observations, this research aims to improve safety and efficiency in care environments that address the unique needs of this vulnerable population.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Develop an innovative approach integrating AI-driven tools, such as computer vision and machine learning, into physical mock-up simulations to improve safety in adolescent crisis stabilisation units
  • Understand the environmental safety features in adolescent crisis stabilisation units through mock-up simulations and address the unique needs of this vulnerable population
  • Validate customised computer vision algorithms by comparing their results with observations and manual coding methods

  14.20

  Leveraging user involvement and full-scale testing to improve healthcare design

  Janina Zerbe, Creative director and partner, KHR Architecture, Denmark

  

  Janina Zerbe

  Creative director and partner, KHR Architecture, Denmark

  Janina Zerbe, Partner and Creative director at one of Denmark’s oldest design studios, KHR Architecture, leads the company’s public sector focus, actively contributing to healthcare and educational projects across various markets. Her approach integrates user involvement to ensure that architecture meets real-world needs, creating functional, human-centred and sustainable environments. Janina combines her architectural expertise with a formal education in leadership and management, which she applies to fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration within project teams. Her project portfolio includes significant healthcare and educational buildings, emphasising user-centred design processes, such as: • Akuthuset – Bispebjerg Hospital in Copenhagen: as part of this 66,000 square metre acute care facility, Janina and team – in close co-operation with user groups – developed a new patient room standard which improves wellbeing in fewer square metres by integrating nature as a central element, enhancing patients' autonomy and healing through thoughtful design that optimises both functionality and cost. • Kverndalen care home in Norway: 18,000 square metre care home based on extensive user involvement studies. • new school in Nuuk: a community-focused design with small, user-friendly 'schools within the 17,500 square metre school', fostering an engaging environment for students of all ages and for the local community after school hours. Janina’s commitment to Scandinavian design values is reflected in her focus on creating enduring and sustainable architecture. Her extensive experience and leadership qualities make her a sought-after speaker at international conferences, where she shares insights on bridging functionality, contextual design and sustainability in architectural practice. Education: • Architect, The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture (2005) • Leadership in Creative Knowledge Enterprises (LKVV), leadership training (2019–2020)

  + View abstract

  Leveraging user involvement and full-scale testing to improve healthcare design

  Abstract Copy

  The design of Akuthuset at Bispebjerg Hospital and Glasblokkene at Haukeland University Hospital highlights the transformative role of user involvement and full-scale testing in driving innovation in healthcare design. Rooted in evidence-based principles and healing architecture, these projects showcase how active client leadership and collaborative teamwork can create environments that enhance wellbeing, operational efficiency and sustainability.
  
  At Akuthuset, the development of a new patient room utilised a year-long, full-scale mock-up testing process. Real patients and staff engaged in iterative evaluations, allowing the design team to refine the layout for autonomy, healing and efficiency. The final design features angled layouts that enhance views of nature – proven to support recovery – while shielding patients from intimidating medical equipment. This approach also reduced the number of square metres per room, optimised workflows and promoted patient independence.
  
  Similarly, Glasblokkene was developed through a deeply collaborative process, with architects, healthcare professionals, patients and a highly engaged client driving the building process. Workshops and feedback loops ensured the design prioritised family-centred spaces, incorporated natural light and materials as well as art, and balanced emotional wellbeing with operational efficiency. Delivered on time, on budget and at a high-quality level, the project demonstrates the advantages of a trade contractor model where the client organises specialised contractors to keep in charge throughout the full project lifecycle.
  
  Both projects highlight the benefits of user-driven design. At Akuthuset, mock-up testing enhanced the patient room’s ability to accommodate user and operational needs at a higher quality and lower cost. At Glasblokkene, the collaborative approach resulted in a design that combines a homely atmosphere with professional functionality and excellent working conditions. Early feedback highlights enhanced patient wellbeing, stronger family support and more efficient workflows for staff. The success of the trade contractor model, led by an actively engaged client, further demonstrates how collaboration and specialised expertise can deliver outstanding results while maintaining a lower budget.
  
  These projects illustrate how user involvement and collaborative processes can redefine healthcare architecture. By prioritising active client leadership and iterative design, teams can address complex needs while delivering impactful, sustainable results.
  
  This presentation will share the strategies and lessons learned, offering actionable insights into how user involvement and full-scale testing can create healthcare environments that excel in wellbeing, efficiency and sustainability.

  Learning Objectives

  • User-centered design: insights into fostering collaboration and active client involvement to create healing environments
  • Healing architecture: understanding the integration of evidence-based design to enhance patient recovery and staff efficiency
  • Project delivery excellence: strategies for achieving on-time, on-budget and high-quality outcomes in healthcare projects

  14.40

  Using participatory processes to go beyond normative design of mental health spaces

  Felicity Coughlan, Architectural assistant, Centre for Alternative Technology, UK

  

  Felicity Coughlan

  Architectural assistant, Centre for Alternative Technology, UK

  Felicity is driven by an enthusiasm for sustainable buildings that promote human wellbeing. She is currently training to be an architect, having completed a Masters in Architecture at the Centre for Alternative Technology. Using her own experiences with mental health, she is passionate about improving the spatial quality of current and future mental health services.

  Carl Meddings, Programme leader, Centre for Alternative Technology, UK

  

  Carl Meddings

  Programme leader, Centre for Alternative Technology, UK

  Carl is the Programme leader for the M.Arch in Sustainable Architecture. He has taught at several architectural schools at all levels, from pre-first-year undergrad to final year at Masters level and beyond. As an architect and educator, he is passionate about educating architects in our rapidly changing cultural and professional environments.

  Zoë Quick, Visiting lecturer, Centre for Alternative Technology, UK

  

  Zoë Quick

  Visiting lecturer, Centre for Alternative Technology, UK

  Zoë’s architectural practice, research and teaching move between architecture, art, poetry and performance, with a focus on enacting resilient relationships between archives, communities and ecologies. She brings to CAT rich experience in leading multidisciplinary teams in delivering narrative design projects for cultural institutions and landscapes.

  + View abstract

  Using participatory processes to go beyond normative design of mental health spaces

  Abstract Copy

  The number of people who have lived, or are living, with mental health conditions is growing with recovery often a complex and challenging journey. Financial investment in services focuses on acute treatment and clinical spaces. Overmedicalisation and problems with power have been recognised with narrow scope for service users to make sense and meaning of their experiences (Johnstone and Boyle, 2018). Collaborating with those who have lived experience, this project offers a socio-spatial response that challenges the status quo of mental health architectural design within the context of sustainability.
  
  The project was framed around two parts. Part i) followed an embodied methodology. Clay was used as a grounding medium for those with lived experience to physically sculpt and express how the architectural environment might support recovery. Analysis of this dialogue, alongside existing literature, allowed for the emergence of a number of design principles. Part ii) then focused on the translation of these principles into an architectural design. A brownfield site rich with history and opportunities for retrofit was selected as the testbed, the final result being a detailed design for a sustainable mental health recovery centre.
  
  Advocacy for spatial provision that goes beyond current clinical paradigms was a core strength of this project. Yet, using participatory methods as the basis for the design of environments that can justly host meaningful mental health support is highly complex. Translating an appropriate ethics of care into physical provision is challenging: categorisation and the use of simplistic devices to translate design principles into actual space can lead to reductionism and depersonalisation. The research shows that grappling and working through these limitations leads to fundamentally richer environments than those already available to service users.
  
  Ultimately this research highlights a need for greater investment into recovery infrastructure that goes beyond hospital care design. It evidences how successful merging of recovery services with wider community care services creates an opportunity to break down societal stigma towards those who experience mental health conditions. The project also demonstrates and insists that dedicated spaces for these services are designed with user participation at the heart. In the spirit of the Maggie’s Centre model, a blueprint is offered for how a network of spaces that are less clinical and more holistic can be crafted across the UK, deeply embedded within each place and community.
  
  Johnstone, L and Boyle, M (2018) 'The Power Threat Meaning Framework'. Leicester: British Psychological Society

  Learning Objectives

  • Using participatory design methodologies
  • Socio-spatial application of theory into mental health provision
  • Mental health services within the context of sustainable design

  15.00

  Panel discussion

  15.30 - 16.00Video+Poster Gallery, exhibition, coffee and networking

  + View gallery

  16.00 - 17.15

  Session 30

   - Design for young and old

  

  Chair: Iona McAllister, Associate director, MJ Medical, UK

  

  Iona McAllister

  Associate director, MJ Medical, UK

  A registered clinician and hospital operational manager, Iona has a proven track record of delivering large-scale healthcare facilities. She has strong experience in operational readiness, ensuring hospitals can deliver healthcare safely and effectively from day one. From the delivery of major regional cardiac centres to the development of the first healthcare buildings from the New Hospital Programme, she is a confident and experienced team leader. Iona is passionate about delivering efficiency in healthcare operations through effective design and collaboration.

  16.00

  Whole life care: Delivery of specialist and tertiary services through the journey of the patient

  Jenni Bronock, Senior associate - healthcare project lead, Perkins&Will, UK

  

  Jenni Bronock

  Senior associate - healthcare project lead, Perkins&Will, UK

  With 17 years of experience specialising in the design of healthcare facilities, Jenni is a qualified architect dedicated to creating environments that support the healing process. Her passion lies in designing buildings that enhance the wellbeing of patients, staff and families alike, fostering spaces that promote comfort, functionality and healing. By working closely with the building’s users, Jenni develops designs that not only create a healing and supportive environment but also incorporate the technical expertise necessary to bring these concepts to life. Jenni has a keen interest in exploring how design can be improved and adapted, considering the entire life of a building and focusing on the journey of those who inhabit it. The patient journey begins before entering the building and continues after they have left, making it essential to understand how the building and environment contributes to, and impacts, the user experience.

  Anne Stanton, Deputy programme director and Design lead , Building the Leeds Way (BtLW), Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, UK

  

  Anne Stanton

  Deputy programme director and Design lead , Building the Leeds Way (BtLW), Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, UK

  With 35 years of experience as a paediatric nurse, Anne has built a career spanning various clinical and leadership roles. Throughout her career, she has gained invaluable insight into the intricacies of patient care, clinical service delivery and the complexities of healthcare systems. Her expertise extends across a broad spectrum of paediatric nursing, from direct clinical care to strategic management, and she is passionate about using this knowledge to drive improvements in healthcare delivery. Over the years, she has honed her skills in clinical leadership, working closely with multidisciplinary teams to improve patient outcomes and optimise care pathways. her experience in leadership roles has enabled her to lead complex projects, manage operational teams and facilitate collaborative work focused on delivering excellence in patient care. In her current role, Anne provides clinical leadership for the new hospital project, where she acts as the primary liaison for the clinical design and planning workstreams. This position allows her to leverage her understanding of clinical service delivery to ensure that the hospital's design meets the real-world needs of healthcare professionals and patients and families alike. She is responsible for translating operational demands and capacity modelling into comprehensive design proposals, working alongside colleagues to guide the project through its various stages. Her extensive background in clinical service delivery is essential in aligning operational requirements with the architectural and technical aspects of the hospital project. By ensuring that the clinical environment is tailored to support the efficient and compassionate delivery of care, she aims to support the creation of a facility that enhances the quality of patient experiences while optimising workflow and resource management.

  Stacey Walton, Technical and construction project manager, Building the Leeds Way (BtLW), Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, UK

  

  Stacey Walton

  Technical and construction project manager, Building the Leeds Way (BtLW), Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, UK

  Stacey Walton is a Project manager at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust with experience in delivering construction-related projects across the health and public sector. Stacey has been recognised as one of nearly 400 inspirational Leeds women for her outstanding contribution to important development projects in Leeds. As part of the Hospitals of the Future Project, Stacey is delivering various workstreams, with a focus on construction and contract management. This includes enabling works to prepare for the main construction activities, including the decant of office staff and clinical services. Stacey has recently lead on the successful completion of the Acute Hospital Lab at the Leeds General Infirmary.

  + View abstract

  Whole life care: Delivery of specialist and tertiary services through the journey of the patient

  Abstract Copy

  The Leeds 'Hospital of the Future' combines the highest ambitions of the New Hospital Programme with an exceptionally complex context. A state-of-the-art children’s hospital, with one of the largest maternity centres in the UK, and an adult hospital that will enhance existing service provision are to be combined efficiently in a single 18-storey building. Rather than create two linked vertical hospitals, the design integrates the three elements in one envelope, maximising efficiency in terms of departmental adjacencies, flows and shared facilities, creating a building that provides 'whole life care' for patients.
  
  Although standalone facilities can deliver these pathways, we are exploring how an integrated hospital enhances continuity of care – how a patient can receive care throughout their life, from childhood to adulthood, within the same healthcare facility, ensuring seamless transitions between children’s and adult services and the benefits associated with this.
  
  Using the trust’s 'healthcare transition workstream', data and evidence is in place to analyse the patient pathway and the staff and patient experience within the current facilities and to look at how this will change and bring benefit to all parties in the future building – e.g. young people who receive care for chronic conditions as children are seamlessly transitioned into adult services and receive follow-up care from the same hospital (in some cases the same clinicians), thus ensuring continuity and monitoring of their condition across their lifespan.
  
  It is anticipated that an integrated care will:
  › optimise patient care and safety with adult and children’s clinicians co-located within an integrated facility collaborating more easily, ensuring that medical and nursing histories and treatment plans are consistent and updated across all stages of life;
  › foster cross-specialty collaboration, where professionals learn from each other’s expertise in treating different age groups;
  › share equipment resources and treatment protocols, helping improve quality, efficiency of care and cost savings through waste reduction;
  › allow for research that spans both children’s and adults' health, offering valuable insights into diseases, conditions and treatments that affect people at different stages of life;
  › offer familiarity and comprehensive support services for families, recognising the impact that managing health across multiple locations and through multiple generations has.
  
  In summary, it is believed that an integrated children and adult hospital will foster a comprehensive, lifelong approach that can lead to better outcomes, more efficient care delivery and improved support for families.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • To understand the impact that delivering integrated care can have on the patient journey
  • To understand the impact that delivering integrated care can have on staff
  • To understand the impact that delivering integrated care can have on families

  16.20

  Using co-design to create an empathic paediatric operating theatre experience

  Alyson Walker, Consultant paediatric anaesthetist, Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow, UK

  

  Alyson Walker

  Consultant paediatric anaesthetist, Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow, UK

  Dr Alyson Walker is a Consultant paediatric anaesthetist with a passion for design and creativity in healthcare. She anaesthetises children for ear nose and throat surgery, dental procedures, surgical emergencies and interventional radiology. Alyson does everything she can to alleviate anxiety and make the experience a positive one. When a Scottish Quality and Safety Fellow, Alyson was introduced to design in healthcare and now uses these lessons to improve the patient experience. She established the Theatre Improvement Initiative in 2018 to ask children, young people, families, communities and staff about their experiences in theatres and act on the insights. Working alongside design studio Graven and an extensive multidisciplinary team, the theatre suite at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow is transforming into a welcoming, friendly and relaxing place to visit. Alyson established a Design in Healthcare module at the University of Glasgow introducing medical students to design principles and including them in real projects. She is an external examiner for the MSc in Healthcare and Design at Imperial College and Royal College of Art, London. Alyson enjoys travelling to Norway regularly to run workshops for healthcare professionals, helping them to progress quality improvement and service provision projects using design principles. Happy to talk design anytime, Alyson can be contact on alyson.walker2@scot.nhs or on www.linkedin.com/in/alywalkerrhc.

  Christopher Collins, Lead project manager, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, UK

  

  Christopher Collins

  Lead project manager, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, UK

  Chris studied architecture at the Glasgow School of Art and worked as an architect at NORR for over 17 years. He is a Lead project manager in the Capital Planning Department of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. He was instrumental in the execution and success of the recent transformation of the operating theatre department of the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow.

  + View abstract

  Using co-design to create an empathic paediatric operating theatre experience

  Abstract Copy

  Glasgow Children’s Hospital is Scotland’s largest paediatric hospital, serving patients from across the country. Each year, over 10,000 children visit its operating theatres. Despite the hospital's modern architecture, users have described the theatre department as “cold, clinical, and intimidating”.
  
  To transform this experience, the hospital staff employed the principles and tools of service design and co-design, conducting extensive user research to gain insights into their environment. They assembled a diverse team and partnered with the design studio Graven to reimagine the space, aiming to create a welcoming, relaxing and empathetic atmosphere.
  
  In Phase 1, the theatre reception and corridors were transformed into inviting areas that encourage exploration and provide distractions, acoustic privacy and warmth. A new multipurpose room was developed for sensitive conversations, group seminars, job interviews and relaxation. This was achieved through engaging role-playing exercises and dynamic prototyping, ensuring that the final designs met all user needs.
  
  Phase 2 involved the staged transformation of all 11 anaesthetic rooms, with a focus on minimising disruption to clinical operations. The team conducted extensive 1:1 prototyping of the room proposals, simulating clinical scenarios within them to ensure optimal outcomes and empower staff throughout the design process.
  
  The Glasgow team also collaborated closely with two of Scotland’s leading illustrators, Laura Darling and Mark Faulkner, to create an environment that is inclusive and appealing to users of all ages. The artwork is rich with layers of content, reflecting the hospital's deep history and sharing the emotive stories of children, families, staff and communities who have passed through its doors.
  
  Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity has played a crucial role in the project’s success, employing innovative and engaging methods to raise the necessary resources. Dr Alyson Walker, a consultant paediatric anaesthetist and lead for the Theatre Improvement Initiative, shares insights into their methodology, successes and lessons learned. This project exemplifies innovative design within the strict constraints and regulations of healthcare, requiring imaginative and creative solutions. Their results highlight the powerful synergy between clinical expertise and creative design.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Demonstrate the synergy between clinical expertise and creative design
  • Illustrate the use of art and illustration for creating an inclusive environment
  • Sharing lessons from a co-design approach for improvement

  16.40

  Research, ideation and exploration: A collaborative approach to transforming paediatric hospitals

  Roxane Bejjany, Architect, associate, KPMB Architects, Canada

  

  Roxane Bejjany

  Architect, associate, KPMB Architects, Canada

  Inspired by the profound impact that the built environment has on people, community and society, Roxane Bejjany was drawn to pursue architecture and received her Master’s degree from the University of Toronto. Roxane joined KPMB in 2019, bringing valuable experience in civic, academic and residential project typologies in a range of scales that also include custom projects. Previously, she worked at Shim-Sutcliffe Architects and Izen Architecture. After joining KPMB, Roxane worked on a competition for a courthouse, where her discernment for details and material choices demonstrated her ability to create a tailored environment for this project, one that represents truth and honesty. She was also part of the team on the University of Toronto Mississauga Campus Robotics building winning competition. For the last five years, she has been Project architect and Design lead on the Project Horizon for the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto, driving the 15+ year project vision through all phases, including renovations of the existing buildings, early works projects and the development and visioning of the future towers including Patient Care, Critical Care and Ambulatory Care. For SickKids, she is driven by the firm’s dedication to pushing the boundaries of healthcare design to elevate the experience of care. At KPMB, Roxane sits on the corporate social responsibility committee and spearheads many of the firm’s wellness initiatives and community service programmes, including those that support such organisations as The Daily Bread Food Bank and SickKids Foundation. Committed to shaping the next generation of architects and designers, Roxane has served on KPMB's student hiring committee and participates in the firm’s mentorship programme, both as a mentor and a mentee.

  Michaela Cada, Staff haematologist, SickKids, Canada

  

  Michaela Cada

  Staff haematologist, SickKids, Canada

  Dr. Michaela Cada is a Staff haematologist in the Division of Haematology/Oncology at SickKids, and an Associate professor of paediatrics at the University of Toronto. She was the Director of the Paediatric Haematology/Oncology Training Program, one of the largest clinical training programmes in the world, from 2012 to 2020. Over the last four years, Dr. Cada has been a member of the Project Horizon Team, first as the Medical officer, then as the Chief clinical planning officer, and now as the Chief reinvention officer. She is responsible for the development and planning, execution, risk mitigation and evaluation of the clinical transformation that will support and advance the future SickKids clinical vision. As part of this work, she is leading the development of new, and optimisation of existing, clinical care models across all services in the hospital, functional programming, clinical planning, simulation-based hospital design (schematic design, design development and clinical flows/processes/service models), operational readiness and post-occupancy evaluation.

  Tim Eastwood, Senior principal / Architect, Stantec, Canada

  

  Tim Eastwood

  Senior principal / Architect, Stantec, Canada

  With over 25 years of experience, Tim is our Healthcare sector lead for Ontario, overseeing the local design studio. He focuses on every aspect of healthcare projects – with demonstrated experience in master planning and a particular interest in planning, programme interpretation, conceptual design and user interface process. His goals? Advancing the level of quality in healthcare design for the optimal staff and patient experience. As an industry leader, Tim is a member of several advisory groups, including the Canadian Standards Association Subcommittee on the Design and Construction of Health Care Facilities, which is responsible for developing and maintaining the Canadian Health Care Facilities standard (CSA Z8000). As part of this work, Tim chaired a taskforce to review the standard and propose modifications to ensure the unique requirements for children’s health were accounted for. Tim has played a key role on transformational projects for a number of clients across Ontario and North America, including SickKids, University Health Network, Collingwood General and Marine Hospital, and Muskoka Algonquin Healthcare. He has also gained considerable experience in multiple project delivery types, including design-bid-build and alternative finance and procurement (AFP).

  + View abstract

  Research, ideation and exploration: A collaborative approach to transforming paediatric hospitals

  Abstract Copy

  This session will explore the collaborative journey of the redevelopment of the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto, a global leader in paediatric care. We will discuss how the team and client collaborated to weave ideation, exploration and prototyping into an engagement-driven design and planning process, using various tools and methodologies to speculate on a future world-class academic hospital, focused on human-centred design, maximised outcomes, increased operational flexibility and enhanced patient and family experience.
  
  Located on a dense, urban site in a world-renowned healthcare district, the design needs to address challenges such as 1) existing ageing infrastructure; 2) ongoing acute, critical and ambulatory operations; 3) the integration of cutting-edge equipment, processes and people flows; 4) meeting and anticipating regulatory standards; and 5) creating environments that inspire comfort and healing. Additionally, the era of individualised medicine and precision child health (PCH) is redefining paediatric care by tailoring the delivery of care to the unique genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors of each patient, all while the medical world is experiencing rapidly evolving and changing innovations in clinical care, therapeutics and technology.
  
  These factors present increasingly complex requirements to the built hospital environment that needs to support individualised, data-driven, patient-centred care. What does this mean for the future of clinical planning and the design of healthcare environments?
  
  The joint design team at KPMB Architects and Stantec, and the chief reinvention officer, a physician from SickKids, will present how the project embodies the principles of precision child health (PCH) while simultaneously creating an integrated and connected urban campus. Attendees will gain practical insights into how the rapidly changing healthcare field is reshaping paediatric hospital design and care delivery, learn strategies for embracing multidisciplinary collaboration that includes the patient and family, and understand the implications of delivering flexible, technology-ready and human-centred healthcare environments.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Explore how to take advantage of long project schedules to create space for exploration, prototyping and engagement to support the client’s needs and future vision
  • Identify effective strategies for fostering collaboration among architects and healthcare practitioners to deliver impactful, future-ready medical facilities in a complex urban context
  • Examine how individualised medicine and the rapid innovation in healthcare influence hospital spaces, promoting adaptability, efficiency and patient comfort

  17.00

  Panel discussion

  End of Tertiary care stream

• Climate-smart healthcare

  Linacre and Sloane Room

  08.45 - 10.15

  Session 31

   - Decarbonsing healthcare

  

  Chair: Jim Chapman, Independent design consultant; Visiting professor of architecture, Manchester School of Architecture, UK

  

  Jim Chapman

  Independent design consultant; Visiting professor of architecture, Manchester School of Architecture, UK

  Jim Chapman is a chartered architect and urban designer, with more than 36 years' experience as a consultant delivering a wide range of projects in many sectors. In 2006, he established an independent consultancy, which focuses on supporting and advising clients on the delivery of high-quality projects.

  08.45

  Decarbonising healthcare: A collaborative path to net zero in Sussex Integrated Care Board

  Lucy Symons-Jones, Net zero director, Lexica, UK

  

  Lucy Symons-Jones

  Net zero director, Lexica, UK

  Lucy is the Director of net zero at Lexica where she liaises at executive level with public sector organisations – particularly in health and life sciences – and leading suppliers and innovators to reach national net zero targets. Trained in public administration and practised as an entrepreneur, Lucy knows how to make big ideas happen. She has worked on the business and policy of the national roll-out of heat networks, electric vehicle charging and demand-side response, and has close connections in the clean technology industry from her time liaising with cabinet ministers on behalf of members of the Association for Decentralised Energy.

  + View abstract

  Decarbonising healthcare: A collaborative path to net zero in Sussex Integrated Care Board

  Abstract Copy

  As a consultant to NHS Sussex Integrated Care Board (ICB), Lexica supported its drive to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, a key priority for the health system serving over 1.7 million people across Sussex. Climate change intensifies flooding, storms and heatwaves, disrupting care and accelerating the spread of diseases, making decarbonisation an urgent necessity. The NHS, contributing 4–5 per cent of the UK’s carbon emissions, has a critical role in addressing this challenge. NHS Sussex ICB’s sustainability strategy identified that over 74 per cent of its carbon emissions stem from fossil-fuelled heating systems. Decarbonising buildings and reducing reliance on oil and gas are essential steps in meeting net zero targets.
  
  To focus efforts, we assessed the NHS estate and shortlisted four trusts – Sussex Partnership, Sussex Community, East Sussex and Queen Victoria Hospital – offering the greatest opportunities to reduce emissions. Working with Hoare Lea and stakeholders from estates, facilities and finance, we secured Low Carbon Skills Fund support to create heat decarbonisation strategies. Our work included feasibility studies, options appraisals and climate adaptation plans for 45 buildings. Key measures identified included optimising energy efficiency, transitioning to LED lighting, upgrading infrastructure, phasing out gas boilers and incorporating on-site renewable energy through solar PV. These interventions are projected to save over 8 million kilograms of carbon annually and reduce lifetime energy use by over 611 million kWh. Beyond reducing emissions, energy-efficient systems improve indoor air quality and thermal comfort, creating healthier environments for patients and staff. Investments in metering and building management systems (BMS) are enhancing data quality, enabling smarter decision making and improved efficiency.
  
  We are now developing detailed designs for 18 buildings as part of the next phase of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme. By collaborating with other ICBs in the Greener NHS South East region, we aim to replicate and scale these efforts, delivering improved outcomes and sustainable healthcare across the sector. This programme demonstrates the power of strategic oversight, technical expertise and stakeholder collaboration in creating a resilient, low-carbon healthcare system. Our work provides a blueprint for meaningful change that addresses the dual challenges of climate change and healthcare sustainability.

  Learning Objectives

  • Understanding decarbonisation in healthcare at Integrated Care Board level
  • Collaboration for sustainability: how effective collaboration between multiple stakeholders can secure funding and develop comprehensive decarbonisation strategies
  • Impact on energy efficiency measures: evaluate the environmental, operational and community benefits of implementing energy-efficient systems

  09.05

  NHS Orkney decarbonisation

  Charlie McQuilkin, Director, NORR, UK

  

  Charlie McQuilkin

  Director, NORR, UK

  Charlie McQuilkin leads with knowledge and passion in healthcare design. He has mastered the complexity of modern architecture across multiple typologies, including acute, primary, mental health and speciality care facilities. He understands that each project at the community level has specific requirements from the health system – and that patients also have specific needs – so interacting with all stakeholders helps to close the gap to deliver an environment of positivity, healing and wellbeing. Design plays a vital role in making patients feel welcome, empowered and valued, which in turn influences the recovery process. As Director, Health Sciences, UK, Charlie takes a hands-on approach in examining the evolving healthcare sector. There are significant changes that are affecting design, from virtual environment, 3D modelling and virtual reality to automation in technology and robotics in operating theatres. But nothing comes close to the new viruses that are far more diverse and far more dangerous than we’ve realised in a decade. Charlie collaborates with multi-stakeholders to advance our designs in tandem with the evolving state of healthcare. Charlie’s current projects include The Baird Family Hospital and The ANCHOR Centre, under construction in Aberdeen, Scotland. The two new innovative hospital designs will provide inclusive and compassionate environments providing high-quality care for patients. Designed by NORR, the Baird building will provide modern and innovative maternity and neonatal care, while The ANCHOR Centre will provide much needed outpatient and day patient services for oncology and haematology patients, as well as facilitating research and teaching. Both projects have been designed using the NHS KSAR (Key Stage Assurance Review) and SDaC (Sustainable Design and Construction) principles to ensure design and construction quality and energy efficiency. Charlie is a huge fan of hurling, the outdoor team sport of ancient Gaelic Irish origin. It is an inspiration for teamwork, strength, robustness and agility that underpins his work ethos.

  + View abstract

  NHS Orkney decarbonisation

  Abstract Copy

  NHS Orkney is an NHS trust that covers the Orkney Islands, which lie off the north coast of Scotland. This part of the world has always been ahead of the curve in renewable energy technology, and in 2019 the new Balfour Hospital in the islands' capital opened. It is the first hospital in the UK built to a net-zero standard, which means the running of the building does not contribute to carbon emissions. In 2023 and 2024, NORR led a decarbonisation programme for the balance of NHS Orkney’s buildings as part of its commitment to achieving a net-zero estate. This will be the first NHS estate to achieve this in the UK and, possibly, Europe.
  
  The existing estate consists of a disparate mix of 19th- and 20th-century buildings often in remote and exposed sites. The programme of works identified the needs of each site with the works rolled out over two years.
  
  The works consisted generally of a three-pronged approach: first to upgrade the building fabrics insulation with new doors, windows and external/internal insulation and, secondly, to remove the heating and hot water systems with new air source heat pumps. In most sites, solar PV panels were installed most with battery support to offset electricity bills and give a limited continuity of supply during power cuts. Due to the proliferation of wind and tidal schemes in Orkney, it is generally accepted that the power in Orkney is already effectively net zero.
  
  The project faced challenges in terms of getting contractors to and from some of the more remote island sites and weather-related travel disruption caused by one of the worst years for gales and blizzards on record. The works were also delivered while the sites remained operational.
  
  A monitoring programme will commence in 2025 to investigate how the improved thermal efficiency of the buildings and heat pumps have affected running costs, user comfort and site resilience.

  Learning Objectives

  • Background and lessons learned from decarbonisation of NHS estate
  • Challenges of working in a remote location with extreme weather conditions
  • How the decarbonisation works will be monitored and evaluated

  09.25

  Decarbonisation of healthcare in Wales

  Andrew Street, Associate principal and Architect, Arcadis, UK

  

  Andrew Street

  Associate principal and Architect, Arcadis, UK

  Andrew is an RIBA Award-winning architect specialising in healthcare and community-based design with over 20 years’ experience. Andrew leads the Architecture and Urbanism team’s health sector work in Wales and the South West of England. He has worked on a variety of typologies, including estates reviews, DCP (development control plan) strategies, refurbishment and reconfiguration of services, mental health, acute and out-of-hospital community projects. He works closely with trusts to develop strategies and solutions providing value for money. Underlying and evident in every project that Andrew is involved in is his desire to create spaces designed to enhance the patient, staff and visitor environments. He also has a keen focus on applying low-carbon approaches within the healthcare estate.

  + View abstract

  Decarbonisation of healthcare in Wales

  Abstract Copy

  In 2021 NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership released its Decarbonisation Strategic Delivery Plan. This sets out a plan for addressing the cimate emergency. The Strategic Delivery Plan sets out 46 initiatives and targets for the decarbonisation of NHS Wales that will be assessed and reviewed. The strategic plan was released mid-way through the NHS Buildings for Wales Framework for delivering capital investment in infrastructure. Our team were, and still are, a supply chain partner to the principal supply chain partner, Kier Construction.
  
  At that point, our team was providing architectural design services on three healthcare projects let through the framework, all at various stages of development and maturity, and therefore implementation of the decarbonisation strategic plan looked different for each building. This provided an opportunity to understand the strategic plan, its core objectives relevant to new-build and refurbishment projects and develop an approach to responding to these objectives that were project-specific and targeted. This all happened at pace and in the three varying contexts and project typologies. It required us to work closely with the health boards and NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership’s lead for the strategic plan. Together we developed project specific approaches to delivering the strategic plan within the parameter of each project.
  
  Following this learning, we established a methodology for healthcare projects in Wales that supports clients to understand the strategic plan, its impacts on their project and work with them to identify a preferred low carbon brief for the development. Key to this has been communication, clear targets and goal setting, a framework for decision making and evaluating progress.
  
  This process has been applied to six projects being delivered through the framework and has delivered common and varying approaches that offer lessons learnt and solutions for future projects. This session will consider:
  • the needs of the healthcare estate;
  • an overview of the decarbonisation strategic plan
  • our response and approach to delivering the plan;
  • a case study overview of the six projects in Wales;
  • lessons learnt and low-carbon solutions.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Understanding the problem and the core components of the decarbonisation strategic plan for Wales
  • The importance of a collaborative approach to developing project-specific and targeted low-carbon approaches with the client team
  • Exploring case studies to demonstrate lessons learnt and appropriate low-carbon solutions

  09.45

  Panel discussion

  10.15 - 10.45Video+Poster Gallery, exhibition, coffee and networking

  + View gallery

  10.45 - 12.30

  Session 32

   - Adaptive reuse, retrofit and refurb

  

  Chair: Victoria Head, Chief executive officer, Archus, UK

  

  Victoria Head

  Chief executive officer, Archus, UK

  As Chief executive officer, Victoria is responsible for the financial performance of the business and leading the ongoing improvement and integration of Archus services to ensure consistency, innovation, sustainability and quality across its growing number of UK, Irish and International offices. She also supports projects within Archus's programme and project management service, which includes working across all stages of the project lifecycle to advise clients on how projects should progress to deliver successful outcomes – all while keeping the environment fun and interactive so that everyone has a chance to have their voice heard.

  10.45

  Cura Day Surgery: Redefining patient-centred care through adaptive reuse and humanistic design

  Gordon Gn, Managing director, HKS Architects, Singapore

  

  Gordon Gn

  Managing director, HKS Architects, Singapore

  Gordon serves as a design director and office director for the HKS Singapore office and is involved with the client and project team from initial planning, helping to establish the project objectives, concepts and goals. In his extensive experience across the Asia-Pacific, Middle East/North Africa and American regions, Gordon’s projects have been honoured with design awards from both the American Institute of Architects and Healthcare Design. He has been recognised in publications such as 'Healthcare Design', 'Asian Hospital & Healthcare Management' and featured on Channel News Asia as well as TodaySingapore.

  Joey Tan, Medical planner, HKS Architects, Singapore

  

  Joey Tan

  Medical planner, HKS Architects, Singapore

  Joey is an Associate and Medical planner at HKS Singapore with a deep passion for the built environment and a commitment to making a meaningful impact through architecture. With five years of experience, she has contributed to healthcare projects across Asia, Oceania and the Middle East. A Master’s graduate in Architecture from the Singapore University of Technology and Design, Joey’s work has earned recognition with awards from the Texas Society of Architects and Rethinking The Future. She is certified as a WELL Accredited Professional (WELL AP) and LSSYB (Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt) and is an associate member of the American Institute of Architects.

  + View abstract

  Cura Day Surgery: Redefining patient-centred care through adaptive reuse and humanistic design

  Abstract Copy

  This presentation explores the transformative journey of Cura Day Surgery, a cutting-edge facility in Singapore, blending innovative design and clinical excellence. Tasked with converting one level of a 25-year-old medical office building into a state-of-the-art day surgery centre, the project exemplifies adaptive reuse in healthcare design. The challenge was to accommodate the technical demands of modern clinical medicine – such as spatial requirements, advanced HVAC systems, lead-lined operating theatres and optimised workflows within the constraints of an ageing structure, limited space/clear heights and a point-core medical office building.
  
  The design team focused on creating environments that promote wellbeing, dignity and empowerment for patients and staff alike. Patient rooms are designed as healing sanctuaries, incorporating natural light, biophilic elements and local artwork to foster recovery. Same-handed room layouts enhance clinical efficiency, while bespoke furnishings ensure comfort for both patients and caregivers. Efficient patient and staff workflows were meticulously planned, with dedicated circulation paths maintaining privacy and reducing cross-contamination risks.
  
  Metrics validate the design's impact: patient satisfaction scores reached 93 per cent, and energy efficiency improved by 32 per cent through sustainable design interventions. Staff wellbeing was equally prioritised, resulting in a 42 per cent reduction in turnover compared to other facilities. These outcomes highlight the synergy between thoughtful design and clinical performance, demonstrating how human-centred spaces can empower users and enhance care delivery.
  
  Cura Day Surgery serves as a model for integrating art, sustainability and efficient clinical service planning within the constraints of adaptive reuse, setting a benchmark for future healthcare environments.

  Learning Objectives

  • Navigate adaptive reuse in healthcare – learn how to navigate the architectural and engineering challenges of transforming ageing infrastructure into high-performing healthcare environments, while maintaining patient comfort and clinical efficacy
  • Explore the role of design in promoting wellbeing, identity and dignity – discover how biophilic design, natural light and localised artwork can enhance patient recovery, foster staff engagement and create a sense of place in clinical settings
  • Evaluate the impact of workflow optimisation on clinical outcomes – analyse integration of efficient staff workflows, examining how thoughtful spatial planning can reduce cross-contamination risks, improve operational efficiency and patient satisfaction

  11.05

  The real costs of refurbishment in healthcare facilities – challenges and innovations

  Maria Luigia Assirelli, Director, Floyd Slaski Architects, UK

  

  Maria Luigia Assirelli

  Director, Floyd Slaski Architects, UK

  Maria Luigia Assirelli joined Floyd Slaski Architects in March 2022 as Director and EDI (equality, diversity and inclusion), social value and stakeholder engagement lead, as well as the mental health portfolio lead, with a proven track record of delivering impactful, community-centred projects. With a positive attitude, understanding of team dynamics and personal dynamics and great communication skills, Maria has a real desire for learning, teaching, research of new trends and lecturing at conferences. Maria's communications skills are particularly helpful during engagement with stakeholders and design team co-ordination. Passionate about designing healing environments, Maria thrives in creating spaces that support mental and physical wellbeing. Maria's commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, combined with her ability to align stakeholder visions with project goals, ensures every initiative reflects meaningful social value. Whether championing collaborative design processes or leading complex initiatives, Maria brings a unique blend of creativity, insight and leadership to every endeavour.

  Marc Atienza, Capital projects manager, Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK

  

  Marc Atienza

  Capital projects manager, Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK

  Marc started working for Ashford and St Peter's in 2013 in different administrative and clerical roles until he began working in the capital projects team in 2019. Since then, he had experience in delivering a wider range of projects as the Trust's agent while completing an MSc in Construction Project Management at London South Bank University. With Floyd Slaski Architects, he is working on all of the Trust's construction programmes at both the Ashford Hospital and Woking Community Hospital sites. He has a desire to learn how resources and technology can be used to aid in active management and pragmatic delivery of building projects.

  + View abstract

  The real costs of refurbishment in healthcare facilities – challenges and innovations

  Abstract Copy

  The refurbishment of healthcare facilities within live environments is a complex undertaking that requires balancing operational continuity with the demands of modernisation. This joint presentation by Floyd Slaski Architects and Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust will explore the hidden and tangible costs of these projects, with a focus on building in active healthcare environments and integrating new systems into existing infrastructure.
  
  This session aims to illuminate the multifaceted challenges and considerations in refurbishing healthcare facilities, and demonstrate the value of strategic planning, stakeholder engagement and advanced tools like building information modelling (BIM) in mitigating disruption, addressing unforeseen issues and ensuring long-term resilience.
  
  This presentation will share insights from a case study: Ashford Hospital Elective Centre, highlighting the impacts of disruption on clinical outcomes, staff efficiency and patient satisfaction. It will examine strategies for managing unknown variables, such as legacy systems, to ensure seamless integration and minimal downtime. Methodology for the case study included:
  • stakeholder collaboration: engaging diverse parties – including patients, healthcare staff, contractors and technical advisors – through workshops and consultations;
  • live environment strategies: minimising operational disruptions through phased construction and adaptive management;
  • integration challenges: addressing the complexities of incorporating redundant and outdated services into modern frameworks, and aligning them with new technologies and workflows;
  • BIM utilisation: Leveraging BIM for comprehensive planning, coordination and conflict resolution in refurbishment projects.
  
  Understanding the true costs of refurbishment requires a holistic view that considers both immediate and long-term impacts. By embracing collaborative planning, advanced technologies and an adaptive mindset, healthcare facilities can successfully navigate the challenges of refurbishment, ensuring sustainable, patient-centric environments. This discussion will contribute to the broader discourse on adaptive reuse, sustainability and innovative practices within healthcare design.

  Learning Objectives

  • Navigate the challenges of live refurbishment: understand strategies to minimise disruption to healthcare services during refurbishment in active environments, ensuring continuity of care and patient safety
  • Leverage collaboration and technology: learn how effective stakeholder engagement and advanced tools like building information modelling (BIM) can streamline the planning, co-ordination and integration of new and old systems
  • Address unforeseen variables in legacy systems: gain insights into managing the complexities of outdated or redundant infrastructure while aligning refurbishment projects with contemporary healthcare needs and sustainability goals

  11.25

  Adaptive reuse: The power of interior interventions

  Ann-Kathrin Salich, Architect, An(n) Architecture Solution, Germany

  

  Ann-Kathrin Salich

  Architect, An(n) Architecture Solution, Germany

  Ann-Kathrin Salich is a visionary architect driven by a fascination for how architecture can achieve psychological goals and enhance human experience. Her work delves into how architectural spaces can evoke emotional responses and influence behaviour, creating environments that are as impactful as they are functional. After gaining valuable experience at Nickl & Partner, she founded her own studio, An(n) Architecture Solution. Her studio specialises in revitalising existing spaces, integrating research knowledge with craft designs that are both aesthetically compelling and psychologically impactful. From concept to completion, her work encompasses the disciplines of architecture, interior and furniture design to address complex design challenges with a holistic and transformative approach. In addition to her practice, Ann-Kathrin shares her expertise as a lecturer at Leibniz University in Hanover, Germany, where she teaches contemporary design practices and advanced digital techniques. Her ongoing research informs her projects, ensuring that her designs remain at the forefront of innovation and serve as thoughtful solutions to our societal challenges.

  + View abstract

  Adaptive reuse: The power of interior interventions

  Abstract Copy

  Germany's healthcare system comprises various facilities, including hospitals, private practices and medical care centres (MVZs). MVZs are specialised office-like buildings designed to host multiple medical practices, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and efficient care delivery. However, many MVZs, particularly in Berlin, face challenges such as ageing infrastructure, outdated designs and, thus, declining tenant interest. This project focuses on revitalising a 30-year-old MVZ to address these pressing issues and adapt it to the needs of contemporary healthcare.
  
  The primary aim is to modernise the MVZ to make it financially sustainable by addressing its spatial and operational deficiencies. The redesign seeks to improve the building’s overall functionality and aesthetic appeal, meeting the needs of medical professionals, patients and visitors. Specific goals include: improving accessibility for elderly, children and disabled individuals; enhancing safety and comfort; and creating an environment that fosters wellbeing and collaboration.
  
  The project employs an integrated approach that combines architectural and interior design strategies, leveraging the transformative power of colour, materiality and spatial reconfiguration. With a focus on adaptive reuse and sustainability, the redesign minimises the need for new construction while maximising the potential of the existing structure. Targeted interventions include identifying pain points for patients and staff, incorporating barrier-free access and intuitive navigation systems, and integrating child- and dementia-friendly features. Custom-made furniture, new lighting concepts and targeted material selections are used to boost functionality and comfort. Lastly, minor structural renovations for improving energy efficiency are conducted to align with sustainability principles and minimise the environmental impact.
  
  This intervention demonstrates how thoughtful interior design can create a positive psychological and functional impact, foster inclusivity, support interdisciplinary collaboration and provide a welcoming environment for patients of all ages and needs. Moreover, it illustrates how enhanced aesthetics and functionality can increase a facility's appeal to potential tenants, thereby ensuring its financial sustainability.
  
  This project underscores the relevance of adaptive reuse and interior-focused design in modernising ageing healthcare facilities. By addressing user needs through targeted design interventions, the approach provides a replicable model for other medical buildings facing similar challenges. The case study highlights the importance of sustainable and inclusive architectural strategies in reshaping healthcare environments for future use.

  Learning Objectives

  • Adaptive reuse
  • Inclusive design
  • Financial sustainability

  11.45

  The intensive care unit at Södersjukhuset – 20th century modernism meets modern medtech

  Cecilia Spannel, Senior architect MSA, healthcare design specialist, LINK arkitektur AB, Sweden

  

  Cecilia Spannel

  Senior architect MSA, healthcare design specialist, LINK arkitektur AB, Sweden

  Cecilia Spannel has worked as a design architect in several areas of expertise (infrastructure, housing, schools, defence buildings, offices) during her 28 years as an active professional. During the last 18 years she has mainly worked as an architect, commissioned and responsible for the design of healthcare building projects. The projects have encompassed varying degrees of complexity and range from general master plans and feasibility studies, to the basic and detailed design of high-tech healthcare premises, such as surgery and intensive care. As a leading architect at LINK, Cecilia contributes with her knowledge and experience of using the means of architecture to create well-functioning, safe environments with equity. Cecilia's specialist knowledge in wayfinding, especially in the hospital environment, is also an asset in projects where patient and visitor logistics are key. She obtained her Master of Architecture in 1996 from Lund University.

  + View abstract

  The intensive care unit at Södersjukhuset – 20th century modernism meets modern medtech

  Abstract Copy

  Södersjukhuset (Sös) is one of the largest hospitals in Stockholm, Sweden, originally constructed between 1937 and 1944. The hospital was expanded in 2019 with 70,000 square metre buildings designed by LINK Arkitektur. Södersjukhuset has one of the largest emergency departments in Scandinavia.
  
  Transformation – reuse of space
  This transformation project is to create a large modern intensive care unit (ICU) in a narrow existing building from 1944, a former surgery department, strategically positioned in the hospital complex. The architectural task was to fit 22 single-patient intensive care rooms in units that needed to be designed for proximity within, due to staff effectiveness. Load-bearing walls and structures gave us some obstacles on the way, but it also brought new ways of thinking: tricky conditions create new ideas. The layout is based on 'moving' the traditional corridor to a new position, creating a staff connection between team stations, and patient beds are transported in an outer corridor 'layer'. That gives the staff a quieter zone to work in, close to the patient space. Another issue concerning the performance of the project was the ceiling height in the building. It was solved through using the attic space above, and roof additions were designed for new HVAC.
  
  Design process in the middle of a pandemic
  This project is a result of many learnings during Covid-19. Patient integrity and recovery were main focuses, as well as creating effective space to reduce stress on the staff. The design process started in spring 2021 with the experience of Covid-19 fresh in the mind – and the pandemic was still ongoing. All design meetings were held online.
  
  Visual control
  Staff experience was important, including the need to always be able to see each other, have eye contact and keep watch on patients' respiratory tracts were aspects to secure in the design. Detailed studies were performed in 3D sketches to guarantee overviews, for quick staff reaction to intervene or call for help in a situation.
  
  We will present the challenges of redesigning for advanced healthcare in an older building and the online design process, with lessons learned from the pandemic. We will show the core ideas that were the outcomes of all these special circumstances.
  
  The start of project construction is planned for spring 2025. This has been an exploratory project for us – 'The ICU where function meets form' – and we look forward to sharing it with others.
  
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Reusing an older hospital building
  • The staff experience of the pandemic
  • Patient integrity in intensive care

  12.05

  Panel discussion

  12.30 - 14.00Video+Poster Gallery, workshop, exhibition, lunch and networking

  + View gallery

  Lunchtime workshops

  + View info

  14.00 - 15.30

  Session 33

   - Designing for net zero

  

  Chair: Lucy Symons-Jones, Net zero director, Lexica, UK

  

  Lucy Symons-Jones

  Net zero director, Lexica, UK

  Lucy is the Director of net zero at Lexica where she liaises at executive level with public sector organisations – particularly in health and life sciences – and leading suppliers and innovators to reach national net zero targets. Trained in public administration and practised as an entrepreneur, Lucy knows how to make big ideas happen. She has worked on the business and policy of the national roll-out of heat networks, electric vehicle charging and demand-side response, and has close connections in the clean technology industry from her time liaising with cabinet ministers on behalf of members of the Association for Decentralised Energy.

  14.00

  Enough is more – sufficiency as a design strategy

  Giulia Scialpi, Architect, archipelago; Researcher, University of Liège, Belgium

  

  Giulia Scialpi

  Architect, archipelago; Researcher, University of Liège, Belgium

  Giulia Scialpi is an Italian architect based in Brussels. She holds a Postgraduate Master’s from CRAterre-ENSAG Laboratory, a centre of excellence that manages the UNESCO Chair 'Earthen architecture, construction cultures and sustainable development' in Grenoble’s School of Architecture. She is currently working in Belgium for archipelago architects and its R&I team, supporting many research projects with her expertise in circular design. She also works as a researcher and PhD candidate in the Urban Metabolism Lab at the Louvain Research Institute for Landscape, Architecture, Built Environment (LAB) and as Teaching assistant at the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Studies (LOCI) of UCLouvain.

  + View abstract

  Enough is more – sufficiency as a design strategy

  Abstract Copy

  Since Florence Nightingale’s 'Notes on Hospitals' in 1863, it has been recognised that architecture can significantly impact health. While modern approaches tend to reduce the optimal indoor environment to a few building physical parameters, Nightingale emphasised the importance of fresh air, daylight, views and acoustics in the therapeutic potential of spaces. Today, architects and engineers are rediscovering this in adaptive and dynamic comfort models, moving beyond static approaches to incorporating outdoor climate and user agency in building design. This new method, referred to as ‘sufficiency’, prioritises assessing user needs and activities first before focusing on energy-efficient climate installations – leading to reduced energy consumption and optimised comfort.
  
  Sufficiency as a design strategy seeks to reduce both embodied and operational carbon emissions. It prevents the rebound effect, where efficient systems tend to lead to operational overconsumption. Fewer technical installations further reduce embodied carbon. The strategy relies on understanding user comfort, integrating the psycho-social wellbeing framework of self-determination theory with performance-based design. In the first study phase, diverse user comfort needs are identified, leading to a broader comfort range that focuses on eudaimonic wellbeing (personal growth) over hedonic comfort (pleasure). The result is a design that harmonises natural energy, air and light with user activities, improving health and wellbeing, especially for those underexposed to climate cycles.
  
  To demonstrate sufficiency, we will present several recent and ongoing projects where we expose the building to the external climate.
  - In Helora, a hospital project, the circadian daylight cycle optimises daylight while preventing overheating.
  - Booghuys, a dementia care home, adapts room layouts to maximise daylight exposure, adjusting window placement for each side and floor.
  - CHwapi, a hospital under construction, features a jagged façade with windows and integrated air vents that create a 'breathing façade'.
  - De Kerselaar, a care centre for people with disabilities, uses an intermediary façade to buffer cold weather while offering exposure to the outside climate.
  - Dalal Jamm, a hospital in Dakar, incorporates bio-climatic principles, with sun-shading and natural ventilation to prevent overheating.
  
  Understanding a building’s interaction with the exterior climate allows for dynamic internal comfort, which can fluctuate and sometimes cause mild discomfort. However, research in thermophysiology shows that slight discomfort can actually enhance physiological resistance and overall health. Thus, designing for dynamic comfort not only impacts energy use and embodied carbon, it also positively influences user health and wellbeing.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Sufficiency
  • User comfort
  • Low-tech

  14.20

  Healing cities: A landscape approach to healthcare ecosystems

  Christopher Wright, Principal landscape architect, Stephenson Halliday (RSK Group), UK

  

  Christopher Wright

  Principal landscape architect, Stephenson Halliday (RSK Group), UK

  Christopher is a Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute with over a decade of experience in landscape architecture, urban design and master planning. Throughout his career, Christopher has applied his expertise to a diverse range of projects, including estate regeneration, extra-care developments and urban-scale master plans. Christopher is passionate about creating restorative landscapes and delivering green infrastructure that fosters wellbeing, supports biodiversity and integrates seamlessly with urban environments. A strong advocate for interdisciplinary collaboration, Christopher believes the best projects emerge from a synergy of expertise. His approach combines technical planning and policy compliance with innovative design solutions that prioritise community engagement and nature-based interventions. With a focus on security-conscious design and environmental sustainability, Christopher’s work emphasises the transformative potential of landscapes to enhance the social and ecological fabric of cities. Christopher thrives on delivering projects that balance aesthetic quality with functional resilience, ensuring they meet the needs of both people and the environment.

  Andrew Tempany, Technical director, landscape architecture, Stephenson Halliday (RSK Group), UK

  

  Andrew Tempany

  Technical director, landscape architecture, Stephenson Halliday (RSK Group), UK

  Andrew is a Fellow of the Landscape Institute and a Chartered Landscape Architect with over 20 years of experience in landscape and urban planning. As Technical director at Stephenson Halliday within RSK Environment, he specialises in integrating nature-based solutions and green infrastructure into complex projects. His expertise spans landscape strategy, large-scale infrastructure design and conservation, with a focus on delivering sustainable and meaningful landscapes. Andrew is passionate about regenerative and narrative-driven design, crafting projects that reflect each site’s unique heritage while optimising environmental benefits through nature-based solutions. His thoughtful approach ensures that every design integrates ecological resilience with user-focused functionality. An experienced leader in interdisciplinary project management and stakeholder engagement, Andrew excels in tackling complex challenges with innovative solutions. His work consistently balances practicality with creativity, creating spaces that connect people to nature, enhance wellbeing and improve quality of life.

  Lynne Houlbrooke, Associate director, landscape architecture, Stephenson Halliday (RSK Group), UK

  

  Lynne Houlbrooke

  Associate director, landscape architecture, Stephenson Halliday (RSK Group), UK

  Lynne is a Chartered Landscape Architect and Associate director at Stephenson Halliday within RSK Environment, with over 20 years of experience in landscape architecture, urban design and master planning. For the past 15 years, she has led the design department at Stephenson Halliday, excelling in co-ordinating multidisciplinary teams through all project stages. Lynne specialises in regenerative design, applying a strategic, landscape-led approach to deliver tangible outcomes that support health, wellbeing and sustainability. Her expertise spans project management, master planning and technical design, ensuring every project aligns seamlessly with client objectives while promoting accessible and inclusive design. Known for her collaborative and stakeholder-focused approach, Lynne thrives on creating landscapes that balance aesthetic quality, functionality and long-term sustainability. Whether shaping large-scale master plans or delivering detailed technical designs, Lynne’s work consistently enhances the environment while addressing the diverse needs of its users.

  + View abstract

  Healing cities: A landscape approach to healthcare ecosystems

  Abstract Copy

  Amid the dual crises of declining public and planetary health, healthcare must evolve, not only to treat individual ailments but also to promote environmental healing. Conventional hospitals are often sprawling, car-dependent complexes. When located on city outskirts, they become isolated from the communities they serve. When located more centrally, they require extensive demolition, displacing communities and disrupting the fine-grained character of the urban landscape. These facilities impose significant environmental burdens, and their token greenspaces do little to offset their overwhelming footprint. This presentation explores the landscape benefits of a decentralised approach to healthcare planning by embedding facilities within the existing urban fabric. As landscape architects, we envision healthcare spaces that are accessible, community-connected and interwoven with nature. By integrating green infrastructure and leveraging the urban environment through adaptive reuse, we can foster holistic health and wellbeing for both people and the planet.
  
  Decentralising healthcare into smaller urban sites offers multiple benefits, including bringing care closer to residents. Strategic placement near greenspaces connects healthcare to nature, reducing stress and promoting wellbeing, and transforms healthcare facilities into integral parts of urban life, strengthening connections between patients, providers and the environment. This approach aligns with other health-focused goals too, such as promoting active travel and reducing car reliance. Thoughtful public realm design by landscape architects can enhance the entire healthcare journey, from the moment patients leave home to receiving care, through pedestrian-friendly routes and spaces that prioritise wellbeing, safety and accessibility. Incorporating nature-based solutions enriches these pathways, delivering health benefits while enhancing urban ecosystem services and prioritising comfort and experience over logistics.
  
  Adaptive reuse of existing infrastructure, like vacant offices post-Covid-19, reduces land take, embodied carbon and community disruption. Repurposing buildings aligns healthcare facilities with the urban fabric’s existing character and scale, creating more welcoming spaces. Savings from reduced land and construction costs could be redirected to green infrastructure, amplifying shared health and climate benefits. Distributing healthcare across urban sites could catalyse wider improvements in public areas, potentially unlocking additional resources to enhance the urban realm for the whole community.
  
  As landscape architects, we advocate a shift from isolated, land-intensive hospital complexes to city-integrated, green healthcare models. This approach, supported by evolving technological capabilities, enables hospitals to deliver value beyond patient care, offering improvements that can benefit the entire community. We envision a future where healthcare is woven into the urban ecosystem – accessible, welcoming and healing for both people and the planet.

  Learning Objectives

  • Decentralised healthcare planning
  • Nature-based solutions in healthcare design
  • Adaptive reuse in urban healthcare

  14.40

  Transforming hospital design for a net-zero future: Lessons from the UK and Spain

  Nathan Shelley, Associate director, AECOM, UK

  

  Nathan Shelley

  Associate director, AECOM, UK

  Nathan joined AECOM with a background in environmental science and professional experience of delivering sustainability projects in new and existing buildings. Nathan’s interests lie in delivering sustainability across all of its aspects for the built environment and he has a proven record of guiding clients with the latest policy and best-practice sustainability strategies including BREEAM, LEED and WELL, in order to embed the principles of sustainability in their processes, designs and developments. Nathan has led the development of net-zero design strategies for healthcare projects in the UK, including the Hillingdon Hospital and Oriel projects. He has also championed the new NHS Net Zero Building Standard, applying the standard to the first wave of net-zero pioneer hospitals.

  Eric Trillo, Director, AECOM, Spain

  

  Eric Trillo

  Director, AECOM, Spain

  Eric is the Director of Architecture in AECOM’s Barcelona office. He is an all-round architect with over 22 years’ experience in a variety of sectors such as sports, education and healthcare. He has worked in several countries such as the UK, Ireland, The Netherlands, Sweden and Spain. With a personal interest in patient experience design, he leads the healthcare and science architecture team in Spain to deliver complex infrastructures through a clear human-centred approach.

  + View abstract

  Transforming hospital design for a net-zero future: Lessons from the UK and Spain

  Abstract Copy

  The urgent need to address the climate emergency through mitigation and adaptation, while enhancing patient care and community resilience, presents a critical challenge for healthcare infrastructure worldwide. This session explores how sustainability-driven hospital design is advancing in two contrasting contexts: the UK’s New Hospital Programme (NHP) and recent healthcare projects for CatSalut in Spain. These case studies reveal how localised approaches, grounded in climate and site-specific realities, can drive meaningful progress towards net-zero carbon healthcare delivery.
  
  In the UK, the NHP is pioneering efforts to meet stringent net-zero standards, with a focus on reducing embodied and operational (whole-life) carbon. However, the programme faces significant challenges, including the complexity of achieving ambitious targets within cost and operational constraints. Meanwhile, in Spain, where regional resilience to climate stressors such as water scarcity and rising temperatures is critical, strategies are centred on water-efficient systems, leveraging solar energy potential, and passive design solutions. Both contexts highlight the importance of reconciling global sustainability goals with diverse environmental and regulatory landscapes.
  
  This session will share insights into the use of predictive tools and data-driven approaches to inform design strategies across climates and geographies. It will examine the role of material sourcing and supply chain logistics, which can significantly affect the environmental impact of healthcare infrastructure depending on regional availability and transportation distances. The discussion will also delve into the balance between sustainability imperatives and service priorities.
  
  By exploring these examples, participants will gain a nuanced understanding of how to embed the principles of energy-efficient and low-embodied carbon-impact design in healthcare projects, tailored to the specific needs and challenges of different regions. This includes strategies to mitigate the impacts of climate change, optimise resource use, create environments that promote healing, dignity and identity, and help to promote staff and patient wellbeing, while achieving long-term carbon reduction in order to be compatible with a net-zero carbon future.
  
  The insights offered will inform the design and delivery of healthcare systems that are not only resilient to future challenges but also exemplify leadership in environmental stewardship. Through this comparative analysis, the session will inspire attendees to rethink how hospitals can serve as catalysts for sustainable, community-centred healthcare.

  Learning Objectives

  • Regional approaches to sustainable hospital design: Learn how climate-specific challenges and regulatory contexts in the UK and Spain shape strategies for achieving net-zero carbon healthcare delivery
  • Data-driven tools for informed decision-making: Learn how predictive modelling, whole-life carbon assessments and supply chain analysis can optimise design strategies for varying environmental and operational conditions
  • Sustainability with patient-centred design: Learn how design strategies can balance resource efficiency, climate resilience and humanistic principles to create environments that support healing, dignity and identity

  15.00

  Panel discussion

  15.30 - 16.00Video+Poster Gallery, exhibition, coffee and networking

  + View gallery

  16.00 - 17.15

  Session 34

   - Climate-smart structures and materials

  

  Chair: Katie Wood, Head of programme and project management, Archus, UK

  

  Katie Wood

  Head of programme and project management, Archus, UK

  Katie brings together technical, people and process expertise, and combines local capability with global best practice, focusing on healthcare, health and wellbeing and the built/digital environment. She advises on the complex interactions between buildings, the urban environment, operational processes, digital technology, data and people, in order to maximise the positive effect of the built environment on health and wellbeing. She has delivered a wide variety of healthcare and urban programmes and projects in the UK and internationally, including Peru, Australia and Canada.

  16.00

  Modular and circular: Redefining the future of healthcare architecture

  Hieronimus Nickl, Managing director, architect, Nickl & Partner, Germany

  

  Hieronimus Nickl

  Managing director, architect, Nickl & Partner, Germany

  Hieronimus Nickl studied architecture at the University of Applied Sciences Erfurt, graduating in 2003. In 2008, he completed an MBA in International Hospital and Healthcare Management at the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management. He joined Nickl & Partner Architects in 2003, and by 2005 was leading projects and teams, with a focus on international assignments. Since 2015, he has been the Managing director of the Beijing office, and in 2019, he became a member of the Board of Directors at Nickl & Partner Architects. He additionally holds the role of Managing director of Nickl & Partner Architects Germany.

  + View abstract

  Modular and circular: Redefining the future of healthcare architecture

  Abstract Copy

  Modular construction is revolutionising architecture, heralding a transformative era of efficiency, sustainability and resilience. Yet a critical question persists: how do we ensure resources used in construction are not wasted but reintegrated into a perpetual cycle? The answer lies in modular, circular building – an approach that prioritises the reuse and recycling of every material, creating a sustainable, closed-loop system.
  
  This vision is reshaping architecture into a dynamic, time-evolving discipline. Beyond traditional applications, modular construction exemplifies how technological innovation and enduring design converge to deliver flexible, scalable solutions tailored to diverse global healthcare challenges. From mobile hospitals on the seas to modular laboratories facilitating international collaboration, and from healthcare stations in remote deserts to the cutting-edge medical facility for the German Federal Forces, these projects embody the potential of modular design to redefine healing architecture.

  Learning Objectives

  • Healing architecture
  • Circular building and sustainability
  • Redefining wellbeing

  16.20

  Health in timber

  Karl-Johan Gydell, Practising architect, Sweco Architects; Project assistant, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden

  

  Karl-Johan Gydell

  Practising architect, Sweco Architects; Project assistant, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden

  Karl-Johan is a practising architect specialising in healthcare architecture, and also works as a Project assistant at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden.

  Magnus Falk, Project manager, RISE, Sweden

  

  Magnus Falk

  Project manager, RISE, Sweden

  Magnus develops projects within various sustainability aspects of the building industry as wood constructions for the reuse of building materials at the Swedish Research Institute, RISE. From 2010 to 2019, he was the Manager for business collaboration at the energy and environment association in Sweden, Em Sweden.se. Magnus pioneered building a low-CO2 private villa in 2008 with alternative materials from foundation to insulation, as well as reused materials.

  + View abstract

  Health in timber

  Abstract Copy

  The Swedish building sector is moving forward towards climate neutrality in 2045. Healthcare buildings are particularly challenging in this development, hospitals being one of the most climate-intensive types of buildings with high-performing load-bearing structures and advanced technical infrastructure. In a hospital building, the load-bearing structure can make up to half of the total carbon footprint. Therefore, the choice of the structure is crucial to achieving a lower climate impact, and interest in integrating wood as a structural element has been growing in the latest years. On the other hand, the use of wooden structures remains a challenge, due to lack of experience.
  
  'Health in timber', led by RISE and CVA at Chalmers University of Technology, involves 14 partners, including experts in fire safety, vibration, structural engineering, stakeholders and suppliers. Spanning 2023 to 2025, the project is funded by VINNOVA.
  
  The project aims to identify the challenges and possibilities associated with building future sustainable hospitals with wooden structures. Specific requirements for selected high-tech healthcare services, such as operating theatres and intensive care units, are mapped out. Beyond fundamental requirements like vibration control and fire safety, sustainability and future-proofing aspects, such as flexibility and generality, are considered. The requirements identified for each of the selected healthcare services are compared with the performance of selected structural systems, including both wood and hybrid structures. Then the opportunities and challenges for each structural system are mapped out, along with scenarios where wood may not be applicable. Building upon these challenges, a speculative and limited design exercise is conducted to test the use of wooden or hybrid structures in a new building dedicated to high-tech healthcare services.
  
  The speculative design exercise draws inspiration from a real, ongoing hospital project conducted by Region Västerbotten, one of the partners involved in the project. In the design exercise, the challenges of using a wooden structure are further examined by addressing the aspect of vertically stacking the different healthcare services. The fictive building includes an ICU, an operating department, a technical floor and three levels of inpatient wards.
  
  Ultimately, this project seeks to foster interest in optimising various existing wooden structure systems, promoting resource efficiency and greater architectural flexibility. The driving force behind this effort is to accelerate the construction industry's transition towards lower environmental impact, addressing the challenge of constructing sections of hospitals with wood as the primary structural material.

  Learning Objectives

  • Sustainable hospitals
  • Healthcare facilities
  • Timber construction

  16.40

  The interconnectedness of human and environmental health: Biogenic materials in healthcare architecture

  Hala El Khorazaty, Senior healthcare designer, Perkins&Will, USA

  

  Hala El Khorazaty

  Senior healthcare designer, Perkins&Will, USA

  Hala is a Senior healthcare project designer at Perkins&Will, bringing over 13 years of experience with the firm across multiple countries. She is a thoughtful designer with a diverse range of research interests, focusing on wellness and sustainable design across various markets. Hala is also one of the firm’s Living Design Champions and an expert researcher on brain capital.

  Asif Din, Regenerative design director, Perkins&Will, UK

  

  Asif Din

  Regenerative design director, Perkins&Will, UK

  Asif has been involved in environmental low energy buildings and supply chains for over 20 years, including Passivhaus and zero energy developments. He is particularly interested in the healthcare typology, as when this can be provided on a zero-carbon basis, there is no excuse for all other building types not to deliver at this standard. He has a doctorate in life-cycle carbon and is part of many research groups, including UKGBC, LETI and RIBA. He is BREEAM AP and LEED GA accredited, a FitWel Ambassador, and has held Certified Passivhaus Designer accreditation. Asif has changed design practices at Perkins&Will to include a more multivalent approach to environmental design as part of the ‘Living Design’ framework. As part of this the office includes a circular economy strategy document, life-cycle analysis and a zero operational carbon costed report at the end of RIBA Stage 2 for all projects.

  + View abstract

  The interconnectedness of human and environmental health: Biogenic materials in healthcare architecture

  Abstract Copy

  This presentation explores the critical connection between human and environmental health, focusing on the innovative use of biogenic materials within healthcare architecture. With growing recognition of the healthcare sector's environmental footprint, biogenic materials – derived from renewable organic sources – present a promising avenue for sustainable design and regenerative practices. The presentation will delve into their application in hospital construction, emphasising infection control and the delicate balance required to meet strict healthcare standards.
  
  Drawing on live examples from the NHS in the UK and healthcare systems in the US, we will examine the potential showcasing successful integration of biogenic materials in non-sterile environments such as waiting areas, patient rooms and staff lounges. These examples highlight the potential of such materials to create healthier, more restorative spaces for patients and staff. However, limitations persist in high-risk zones like operating rooms (ORs), where current product technology has yet to achieve the required sterility and durability standards.
  
  The discussion will also address the regenerative aspects of biogenic materials, including their ability to sequester carbon, support indoor air quality, use fewer chemicals in maintenance and align with circular economy principles. These attributes underscore the importance of investing in the next phase of product development to overcome technical challenges and broaden their applicability in healthcare settings.
  
  Ultimately, this presentation advocates for a shift in healthcare architecture, where material choices prioritise not only infection control and operational efficiency but also environmental stewardship and long-term human health. By investing in research and innovation, we can pave the way for the widespread adoption of biogenic materials, fostering a healthcare environment that is as regenerative as the care it provides.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Biogenics
  • Infection control
  • Biophilia

  17.00

  Panel discussion

  End of Climate-smart healthcare stream

• Project showcase

  Platt Room

  10.45 - 12.30

  Session 35

   - Hospital design showcase

  

  Chair: Justin Harris, Global practice group director, Arcadis, UK

  

  Justin Harris

  Global practice group director, Arcadis, UK

  Justin is an Architect and Global practice group director in the Architecture and Urbanism group at Arcadis. With over 20 years of experience in a range of projects, the majority of his work has focused on healthcare, including projects across the full healthcare spectrum, from acute, out of hospital, supportive housing, master planning and healthcare strategy. With an interest in innovative healthcare systems and how they relate to supporting health and wellbeing and the sustainability of healthcare systems, Justin works across the firm's global regions in areas including healthcare strategy, master planning, infrastructure development and digital healthcare environments. Justin has recently been working on New Hospital Programme projects in the UK, while also involved in the transforming the Kasr El Ainy Hospital in downtown Cairo. Justin, a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects, collaborates with the firm's global healthcare leads in bringing best practice ideas to Arcadis's clients. Justin has contributed to guidance for NHS England through the Healthy New Towns programme, focusing on developing integrated health and wellbeing facilities.

  10.45

  A hospital in a garden and a garden in a hospital: A new design approach on pairing biophilia principles with sustainable design strategies for one of the largest new medical centres in the world

  Tye Farrow, Founding partner, Farrow Partners, Canada

  

  Tye Farrow

  Founding partner, Farrow Partners, Canada

  Working at the intersection of architecture and neuroscience, Tye Farrow is a world-recognised pioneer tackling how what we create either gives or causes health. With award-winning projects around the globe that enact salutogenic design – design that actively incites health – he is the first Canadian architect to have earned a Master of Neuroscience Applied to Architecture (University of Venice Iuav), and has a Master of Architecture in Urban Design (Harvard University), and a Bachelor of Architecture degree (University of Toronto). Tye is a sought-after speaker who has presented to respected organisations and universities in over 45 cities on six continents, including the Salk Institute, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Stanford University Medical School, The Mayo Clinic, and The Cleveland Clinic, and has been called a global leader making “a significant contribution to health and humanity through the medium of architecture”. His bestselling book, 'Constructing Health: How the Built Environment Enhances Your Mind’s Health', explores how our mind, and its various sensory systems, interacts with our built environment to create the conditions in which we can thrive and prosper, and bridges the gap in knowledge between the therapeutic medical world, the design community and public, to reveal how the intentional shaping of our environment can support our physical and neurological wellbeing. Acclaimed by both professional and public critics, the book has been described as “a landmark work that will undoubtedly influence the future of architectural design”.

  + View abstract

  A hospital in a garden and a garden in a hospital: A new design approach on pairing biophilia principles with sustainable design strategies for one of the largest new medical centres in the world

  Abstract Copy

  The largest brand new medical centre in Israel, the first in over 30 years – 300,000 square metres (3 million square feet) and 1,900 beds, more than any other hospital in the country – Negev Health City is also one of the largest new greenfield hospitals in the world, outside the United States, and will open in 2031. It is located in the southern Israeli region of Negev, a desert area, part of a new biotech and residential neighbourhood in the growing City of Be’er Sheva.
  
  Ben Gurion, Israel’s founding father and first prime minister, said that the vision of Negev was for it to turn into a blooming, lively and green piece of land: that the “Negev desert bloom”. The architects' central approach to the design of the new medical centre is to take waste and turn it into a wider community health asset: “A hospital in a garden and a garden in a hospital”, firmly tying together health creation and civic wellbeing.
  
  Hospitals are the largest consumers of water, double any other building type. The design will harvest select portions of the hospital's wastewater, recycle it and treat it for use in the creation of the largest new public horticultural park in the country – five hectares (12.5 acres) focused on desert plants. The park is a continuation of a new proposed Central Park of the biotech/residential district. Yet the solution lifts the garden up and drapes it over the wedged-shaped, central ambulatory main entrance building of the medical centre, oriented in a north-south direction – thereby creating a ‘backyard’ to the hospital, above and accessible from grade from the community to the north of the medical centre. At the top of the sloped central horticultural park at the southern end is a large shade canopy, a common terrace, and a place for concerts, fitness and gatherings, along with the main restaurant of the hospital. Other amenities line the sides of the park's length as it slopes down to grade to join the larger community park to the north; patient and staff lounges, rehab and fitness areas, verandahs and focused retail.
  
  The hospital offers a new design approach of how to pair biophilia principles with sustainable design strategies for the design of complex medical centres globally.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Biophilia
  • Horticultural architecture
  • Human mega-hospital design strategies

  11.00

  Transforming paediatric care: The project reveal of new Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Surgical Tower

  Hala El Khorazaty, Senior healthcare designer, Perkins&Will, USA

  

  Hala El Khorazaty

  Senior healthcare designer, Perkins&Will, USA

  Hala is a Senior healthcare project designer at Perkins&Will, bringing over 13 years of experience with the firm across multiple countries. She is a thoughtful designer with a diverse range of research interests, focusing on wellness and sustainable design across various markets. Hala is also one of the firm’s Living Design Champions and an expert researcher on brain capital.

  Amy Sickeler, Principal, Design director, Perkins&Will, USA

  

  Amy Sickeler

  Principal, Design director, Perkins&Will, USA

  Amy brings to her work deep empathy for people and the environment while creating beauty. With industrial design and interior architecture training, she is dedicated to partnering with clients and leading teams in the creation of compassionate, healing spaces that inextricably blend research and design theory with health, functionality, aesthetics and performance for the interior of complex architectural projects. Amy’s influence reaches beyond projects and clients. A Principal in the Atlanta office of Perkins&Will, Amy serves as an interior design principal for all the studio's healthcare projects. Amy’s 35+ years of experience include research, visioning, programming, space planning, development of facility standards, interior design, construction documentation, furniture and equipment inventory and colour and design theory. With an intent focus on healthcare design, she has dedicated her career to developing innovative healing spaces for a variety of diverse clients.

  + View abstract

  Transforming paediatric care: The project reveal of new Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Surgical Tower

  Abstract Copy

  We are thrilled to present the completion of the new Nicklaus Children's Hospital Surgical Tower, a project we have shared over the last couple years, as it embodies the culmination of extensive research, design innovation and the dedication of a multidisciplinary team. This landmark facility was thoughtfully designed with a focus on neurodiversity, children’s emotional and physical development during trauma, and the interaction between the built environment and human physiology. The design also incorporates family-centred experiential research to enhance the overall care experience.
  
  In this presentation, we will showcase the final photography of the facility and share lessons learned from this research-driven approach to healthcare design. Located in the southeastern United States, Nicklaus Children's Hospital is globally recognised as one of the top paediatric hospitals, offering comprehensive care and rehabilitation for infants, children and young adults.
  
  The Surgical Tower represents a state-of-the-art replacement and expansion of the hospital’s surgical suite and support services, as part of a multiphase master plan focused on modernisation, resiliency and sustainability. The five-storey vertical expansion, constructed atop an existing emergency department, introduces: 12 universal operating rooms, 40 pre-op/post-anaesthetic care unit (PACU) rooms, a new central sterile processing department, a 20-bed medical-surgical unit and administrative spaces.
  
  The facility also prioritises the wellbeing of patients, families and staff with innovative amenities, including: a multi-storey lobby offering enhanced intake facilities and intuitive wayfinding, a staff rooftop terrace for respite and rejuvenation, and a healing garden to reduce stress and foster connections with nature. The project’s scope included enabling infrastructure improvements such as a rooftop helipad, utility and pedestrian bridges, and renovations to the central energy plant, all contributing to the campus' long-term sustainability.
  
  Join us as we explore how this cutting-edge facility serves as a family-focused care for children across the southeastern United States.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Surgical expansion
  • Research-based design
  • Children's health

  11.15

  Health promoting healthcare in a sustainable urban environment

  Paula Block Philipsen, Architect and Partner, White architects, Sweden

  

  Paula Block Philipsen

  Architect and Partner, White architects, Sweden

  Paula Block Philipsen is an Architect and Partner at White architects in Malmö, Sweden. She is a healthcare specialist with 30 years' solid experience of hospital projects in Scandinavia and abroad. Her work ranges from early-stage design dialogues in varied groups to technical coordination in several large projects, involving somatic and psychiatric facilities. Starting in 2016, she is one of the lead architects of the new hospital project in Malmö.

  + View abstract

  Health promoting healthcare in a sustainable urban environment

  Abstract Copy

  The new hospital area in Malmö is a major renovation and addition of care buildings and technical infrastructure. Skåne University Hospital, the third largest hospital in Sweden, consists of the Malmö and the Lund site. The hospital provides highly specialised care, responsibility for several national programmes, research and education. Both facilities are facing the challenge of how to meet future demands. The new buildings are additions to an existing pavilion hospital from the nineteenth century in the middle of the city. The site is in between the well-situated seaside areas and the areas of immigration, poverty and the non-integrated.
  
  Based on ambitious pre-studies from Region Skåne and the Malmö City Council, we set up goals that, in addition to creating buildings for excellent care:
  - placed the patient in the centre;
  - created a healthy and attractive workplace;
  - provided for the healthcare of the future;
  - put the hospital in the middle of the city.
  
  The project was organised in four major parallel streams addressing the different topics. The overall strategic planning of the clinical care involved the whole hospital in a series of workshops, setting goals, analysing the future and setting scenarios, including typical rooms and the principles of wards, involving all clinics, without telling who would benefit from what. The building project tested several volumes and structures. The aim was to design rational, evidence-based design solutions, sufficient in themselves and still possible to add in the future. The design solutions for the exterior facades and landscape introduced huge volumes in a new scale to the old brick buildings, in green park surroundings.
  
  The new care buildings were brought into use with very few additions or complaints. High-tech solutions focusing on high hygienic standards and good flows will facilitate the function of the whole area, supporting older buildings with faster supply of goods, technical media and medical equipment.
  
  The inventive use of material and colour schemes, combined with the art programme, have given the large and sometimes cold clinical environment a necessary warmth and a humanistic approach. Careful design of the narrow square and pedestrian street, with only low-speed traffic and a minimum of parking places, has created a welcoming and warm way into the entrance halls, that invites everybody in and reduces offensive behaviour.
  
  Involvement, and more involvement, is key to good function and the wise use of our common goods. Using and developing existing buildings and areas offering new common places and passages gives the whole community a safer and more prosperous environment.
  
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Hospital buildings can heal the city
  • Structure that offers organic growth of clinics
  • Ownership of patients and staff promote wellbeing

  11.30

  Innovation and technology as essential tools for dense cities – optimising the operations of verticalised hospitals

  Lara Kaiser, Director of operations, Principal, Perkins&Will, Brazil

  

  Lara Kaiser

  Director of operations, Principal, Perkins&Will, Brazil

  Born into a family of architects and doctors, it is only natural that Lara would become a specialist in healthcare architecture. Growing up with an architect mother, she started developing her own projects as a child. “I had my own clipboard where I’d sketch my designs as my mom worked.” Lara’s commitment to creating efficient, people-focused healthcare environments also came from a young age. For her graduating project, she proposed to design a hospital for children with HIV. As the theme was still a taboo at the time, she was advised not to do so, but carried on anyway, knowing it was a reality that deserved attention and care. The project won an A+. Today, Lara’s young daughter is following in the footsteps of her mother and grandmother, she is already asking for clipboards and mechanical pencils of her own.

  + View abstract

  Innovation and technology as essential tools for dense cities – optimising the operations of verticalised hospitals

  Abstract Copy

  “By 2050, around 70 per cent of the world’s population will live in urban areas”, according to the UN-Habitat biannual report, which discusses alternatives to accelerate global progress towards sustainable development. The trend of rapid urbanisation combined with intense climate change, which characterises the early 21st century, poses challenges for maintaining life in cities, especially in megalopolises like São Paulo, among the most populous in the world – with more than 22 million inhabitants – which can face an additional increase in temperature of at least 0.5°C by 2040.
  
  In theory, densification is a sustainable alternative for São Paulo – and similar cities – to overcome these problems. According to urban economist and Harvard professor Edward Glaeser, a compact city is beneficial for the environment, culture and education, since it limits urban sprawl, and reduces motorised mobility and pollutant gas emissions, allowing for a greater mix of ideas, values and cultures.
  
  The most recent review of São Paulo's Strategic Master Plan (2023) outlined the goal of transforming the capital into a compact city, reducing the distances between housing, work, leisure and essential facilities, such as hospitals. A city of this type maintains its urban quality through a balance in land use, with typological diversity that ensures greater population density, especially on public transport routes, optimising infrastructure and encouraging urban life.
  
  Among the sustainable development strategies for cities, such as adapting existing buildings and new developments in neighbourhoods with robust infrastructure, the Brazilian team at Perkins&Will presents Vila Mariana Hospital, designed in one of São Paulo's most traditional neighbourhoods to make the most of the limited space available. In a partially commercial region, with strong residential characteristics, the new hospital structure is close to a park listed as municipal heritage.
  
  The combination of strategic planning and integration into the urban fabric allowed the team to develop an efficient vertical structure, with 65,000 square metres on a plot of land measuring just 6,300sqm. The highly complex hospital has 302 beds organised into 15 floors above ground (plus six underground floors), with optimised vertical circulation that allows for the best use of the 1,800sqm slabs. The tower is integrated into the city through a central square, which follows the curves of the building and facilitates the organisation of access points – social, service or outpatient – on the same face, in synergy with the surroundings through the landscaping specially designed for the site.

  Learning Objectives

  • Densification as an alternative for sustainable development
  • Optimised use of spaces in dense cities
  • Innovations and technologies to optimise the use of vertical buildings

  11.45

  Architecture is care

  Luisa Fontana, Architect, LFA – Architecture & Engineering, Italy

  

  Luisa Fontana

  Architect, LFA – Architecture & Engineering, Italy

  Luisa Fontana is the founder and CEO of Luisa Fontana Atelier (LFA) architecture&engineering. Launched in the early 1990s, the atelier immediately adopted an integrated design method based on the optimisation of natural environmental resources, attention to people with physical disabilities, the application of colour and the integration of artistic masterpieces to enhance orientation and user experience. Refined over the years, with a recent but well‐received application in the healthcare sector and thanks to a participatory design shared with users, Fontana's methodological approach, ‘architecture is care’, defines a healthcare layout that moves from the inside out, based on circulation flows enhanced by a curvilinear design that creates enveloping and human‐scale environments. Multifaceted and pioneering, Luisa Fontana is convinced that only by moving away from traditional practice will it be possible to obtain an innovative spatial model that becomes an active part of the care process.

  + View abstract

  Architecture is care

  Abstract Copy

  The current phase of demographic, epidemiological, social and economic transition, combined with recent pandemic events, has exposed the inadequacy of existing hospital building models. Although healthcare organisations have evolved to address new treatment needs, current hospital building models remain largely unchanged, compromising both functionality and spatial quality.
  
  The aim is here to “create healthcare architecture that becomes an integral part of the care process itself”, providing environments that are both welcoming and functional for healthcare professionals and patients. The methodology is based on the principle that the more thoroughly one understands the constraints (care procedures and processes, staff management, budgets, etc.), the more freedom one has to introduce effective innovations. To achieve this, healthcare, technical, professional and administrative staff, as well as patients, work collaboratively with architects and engineers, sharing their knowledge synergistically.
  
  The new 'spatial model' is developed according to the intensity of care and homogenous care areas, as well as the separation of staff, patient and goods circulation flows. Its design employs curvilinear forms, shaping spaces to respond to internal organisational requirements on the one hand, and to environmental, climatic and landscape conditions on the other. This approach defines the healthcare layout from the inside out, moving beyond the traditional practice of starting with a fixed orthogonal form and then carving out spaces within it. Principles of wayfinding, the strategic use of colour and the integration of artistic installations contribute to the orientation and enhancement of the patient experience. The spatial model also integrates bioclimatic principles and supports the sustainable use of resources, relying on energy-saving solutions and renewable energy sources.
  
  The result is a healthcare facility that is both effective and efficient, accessible and welcoming, functional and flexible – capable of meeting contemporary healthcare demands and adapting to future needs. Its curvilinear design creates enveloping, human-scaled environments that can be described as 'humanised', providing comfort for both patients and staff. The innovative and dynamic spaces break away from the rigid patterns of traditional healthcare construction, moving towards an architectural model that opens new perspectives in healthcare environments.
  
  Examples of this approach include the Montecchio Maggiore Hospital (Vicenza, Italy) and the Padiglione Degenze in Cittadella (Padua, Italy), both currently under construction, as well as the Vincent Moran Healthcare Regional Hub in Malta, which will soon be operational. By transcending standard healthcare construction practices, architecture can shape facilities that become an active part of the care process.
  
  To conclude, 'architecture is care'.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Architecture is care
  • Healthcare model and spatial model
  • Humanisation of spaces and processes

  12.00

  Panel discussion

  12.30 - 14.00Video+Poster Gallery, workshop, exhibition, lunch and networking

  + View gallery

  Lunchtime workshops

  + View info

  14.00 - 15.30

  Session 36

   - Mental health design showcase

  

  Chair: Karin Imoberdorf, Architect, Lead Consultants, Switzerland

  

  Karin Imoberdorf

  Architect, Lead Consultants, Switzerland

  Karin Imoberdorf Dipl Arch, MPH is a partner with Lead Consultants and the official representative for Switzerland within the Union of International Architects, Public Health Group.

  14.00

  Woodland View – eight years on

  Karen Flatt, Architect, Studio director, Mental health lead, Arcadis, UK

  

  Karen Flatt

  Architect, Studio director, Mental health lead, Arcadis, UK

  Karen is an Architect, Studio director and the Mental health lead at Arcadis who specialises in mental health design. With over 20 years of experience in designing for mental health and wellbeing, she has developed a profound knowledge of both service users‘ and healthcare professionals’ unique requirements. She has successfully designed and delivered numerous award-winning mental health schemes across different age groups and security levels. Karen believes that building environments play a significant role in the behaviour of their users, and good design can deliver real and measurable benefits. Her aim at Arcadis is to involve users in all aspects of the design process to create sustainable, uplifting and therapeutic buildings that improve mental and physical wellbeing.

  + View abstract

  Woodland View – eight years on

  Abstract Copy

  In 2016, NHS Ayrshire and Arran relocated mental health services to Woodland View, a 206-bedroom facility offering a full spectrum of care. With a focus on recovery, it provides services for adults and the elderly, including dementia care, addictions treatment, and a new mental health assessment unit for emergency admissions.
  
  Woodland View's design draws inspiration from the coastal surroundings, aiding patient rehabilitation through empowerment and choice. Secure green spaces within each ward have been found to mitigate conflicts, offering service users a serene escape. A sustainable solution, the design has enabled low energy use using low- and zero-carbon (LZC) technologies and achieved a BREEAM 'Very Good' rating.
  
  The facility's welcoming entrance, shared amenities and community-centric layout enhance navigation and promote a sense of belonging. Staff camaraderie has flourished with co-location, boosting morale and retention. Positive feedback on the non-clinical atmosphere, double-height entrance and community café underscores the facility's success in creating a supportive environment. Regular interactions among staff foster idea exchanges and teamwork, enriching the overall experience and ensuring a cohesive, uplifting atmosphere for all.
  
  Staff have cited the positive impact on service users, acknowledging the facility's success post-transition. In 2024, due to increasing pressure on the nearby emergency department, the original design was altered to introduce a mental health assessment unit to help divert people in crisis to a supportive environment.
  
  Woodland View stands as a testament to continuous learning and improvement in mental health care design. Through lessons learned in flexibility, service user management, and staff wellbeing, it is a beacon for mental health facility design nationwide.
  
  "We were delighted with the building because Woodland View continues to have visits from other board areas if they're looking at undertaking a significant mental health refurb or a new build."
  William Lauder, General manager, Woodland View
  
  Post-occupancy findings:
  - larger bedrooms allow flexible use and accommodate larger beds;
  - innovative patient behaviour management with delineated flooring is widely successful;
  - larger rooms facilitate easy ward decanting, maintaining bed numbers during system works and Covid-19;
  - reconsideration needed for ward sizes to optimise nursing levels and functionality;
  - importance of adequate time for training, defect resolution before occupation;
  - courtyard wards with gender-flex corridors prove beneficial;
  - staff rooms both on and off ward would be beneficial;
  - community usage of the café aids in local mental health stigma reduction with diverse events;
  - service users feel safer with visible staff.

  Learning Objectives

  • To aid understanding of best practice in mental health design and the impact good design objectives can have on staff, service users and the operation of a mental health building
  • To reflect on the building after eight years in operation and learn what has worked well and what has been a challenge to aid understanding of what could be taken forward into future projects
  • To learn what materials have withstood the test of time and the sometimes ‘challenging’ use by the service users which will enable future projects to specify robust and safe materials and components which wear well and reduce costs

  14.15

  Hafod Farm – a pilot Homestead project

  Heather Macey, Director, Makower Architects, United Kingdom

  

  Heather Macey

  Director, Makower Architects, United Kingdom

  Heather Macey is a Director at Makower Architects and the founder of Architects Aware!, an advocacy and design platform focused on housing insecurity and therapeutic environments. She leads the Homestead initiative—an interdisciplinary project exploring how architecture can support mental health recovery through trauma-informed design, policy innovation, and systems change. With over 15 years of experience in housing, Heather has worked across all project stages, from concept to delivery, specialising in supported housing, adaptive reuse, student accommodation, and co-living models. She brings a unique perspective that bridges design, care, and community, informed by her own lived experience of insecure housing. Heather is committed to co-design and inclusive practice, engaging directly with service users, care providers, commissioners, and policymakers to shape more just and responsive environments. Her work foregrounds cross-sector collaboration and embeds post-occupancy learning to improve long-term outcomes. She recently launched the podcast Therapeutic by Design, which brings together voices from the NHS, voluntary sector, and lived experience to ask: “What makes a therapeutic environment?” Heather’s practice challenges traditional boundaries between architecture, health, and social systems. She is currently leading projects that rethink housing through the lens of dignity, care, and regeneration—reimagining homes not as units, but as platforms for wellbeing and belonging.

  Andrew Howe, Psychodynamic psychotherapy, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, UK

  

  Andrew Howe

  Psychodynamic psychotherapy, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, UK

  Andrew Howe is a clinical psychologist with extensive experience in mental health and community-focused care, including supporting individuals with psychosis and other complex mental health conditions. He specialises in creating therapeutic frameworks that foster resilience, independence and wellbeing through evidence-based and innovative approaches. Andrew played a pivotal role in developing the clinical specification for Homestead, a pioneering concept for holistic supported housing that combines creative arts, nature-based therapies and community-focused care. His expertise ensures that therapeutic principles are embedded into housing design, promoting meaningful recovery and social connection. Passionate about the intersection of mental health and the built environment, Andrew works collaboratively with architects, designers and policy makers to advocate for spaces that improve mental wellbeing. He is dedicated to translating clinical insights into practical, impactful solutions that empower individuals and strengthen communities.

  + View abstract

  Hafod Farm – a pilot Homestead project

  Abstract Copy

  Homestead is a new concept for holistic and therapeutic supported housing for people with a diagnosis of psychosis. It is built upon three pillars of creativity: within the arts, working with nature and community focus. We aim to offer a new approach to living with psychosis that fosters growth and independence. We want to support our residents to have reduced use of emergency care and hospitalisation and help them manage mental health crises.
  
  Our theoretical basis is founded on the proven benefit of creative arts and nature-based therapies, combined with a community focus. We want to offer more than just supported housing. We believe that community-based care, instead of long-term inpatient treatment, allows people to move forward and live as independently as possible. Homestead wants to go beyond just meeting the needs of people living with psychosis and instead provide a holistic approach where residents feel part of a community. Through therapeutic engagement with the natural world and creative forms of expression, we hope to provide our residents with new ways to approach life’s challenges.
  
  We present the work thus far on our initial pilot project, Hafod Farm in North Wales, and demonstrate how our theory is beginning to find its place in the real world. We give a narrative account of the challenges we have already faced and are yet to come through the medium of pictures, video and personal accounts. We aim to clearly define our theoretical underpinnings and explain how we are working with local people to realise our vision. We end with our plans for the future, with a focus on how we plan to answer specific research questions and seek to prove empirically that Homestead can be of benefit.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Random control trial process and other research-based learnings
  • Knowledge sharing
  • The role of the prototype

  14.30

  Ipswich Hospital Mental Health Unit: The value of restoring dignity to the healing journey

  Stephen Watson, Principal, Hassell, Australia

  

  Stephen Watson

  Principal, Hassell, Australia

  Stephen is a recognised leader in health architecture and planning, bringing over 20 years of experience in delivering complex and future-focused health projects – many of which are award winning, including the Ipswich Hospital Mental Health Unit in Queensland (which officially opened in January 2024) and the Specialist, Treatment and Rehabilitation Service (STARS) at Herston, Brisbane. A thoughtful and considered leader, Stephen champions a collaborative design approach via in-depth consultation with clients, contractors and end users, and engagement with the design team. He encourages debate and challenges design decisions to create outcomes that exceed expectations. Other key highlights in Steve’s portfolio include master planning for the Townsville University Hospital redevelopment and playing a key role in the design and delivery of the main clinical buildings at the Gold Coast University Hospital. Intuitively attuned to delivering innovative, human-centred and evidence-based design, Stephen is a forward-thinking leader in his field.

  + View abstract

  Ipswich Hospital Mental Health Unit: The value of restoring dignity to the healing journey

  Abstract Copy

  The new Acute Mental Health Unit at Ipswich Hospital in Queensland, Australia has been designed to fulfil an ambitious vision around delivering best-practice recovery-focused care for the community. A foundation of healing underpins an environment that nurtures wellbeing and mindfulness. Architecture, interior design and landscape work together to establish a holistic setting of calm to restore dignity to the healing journey, normalise mental health care in the community and deliver a new benchmark for recovery-orientated care in Australia.
  
  The facility has reached 12 months of live operation. Evidence is currently being gathered through a post-occupancy evaluation process, and early indicators show that the healing environment is profoundly benefitting the community. This is through more effective healing, more active family participation in the care journey, and a more effective workforce. These factors delivering both health and cost benefits for the whole community.
  
  An overarching philosophy around ‘designing for people’ has shaped both the process and the outcomes of this project. The design focus has been on caring for people, consumers, their loved ones and those people providing the care, to create an environment that supports the network around each person and enables care for the ‘whole person’. The community has been at the core of the co-design process and the community remains the foundation of the care model that is now being successfully delivered.
  
  A community of stakeholders: the facility has been designed through a deep and comprehensive engagement process that welcomed the community, including First Nations representatives, to participate in the co-design journey with equal footings.
  
  A community of care – the building as a setting to enable best practice in a rehab-focused model of care: consumers, carers and staff form a progressive community-focused on healing and mindfulness.
  
  The family community: breaking down stigma, consumers, carers and family are welcomed with pride into the healing environment and participate in the recovery journey, aiding transitioning to home and resulting in reduced relapse.
  
  The presentation will outline key project objectives, the collaborative design process and innovative design manoeuvres that have shaped the facility. The benefits being delivered to the community will be demonstrated through findings from the post-occupancy evaluation. This will include insights around the type of care being delivered, family participation, staff satisfaction and consumer recovery rates.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • The value of a rich co-design process – over 100 separate stakeholder group engagements with a range of passionate, informed participants including consumers, carers, clinicians, therapists and representatives from the local community
  • The value of connection to country – through meaningful engagement with local First Nations representatives we learned the importance of creating a culturally safe and inviting place to create an environment that is authentically connected to Country
  • The value of designing for context – designed to respond to the urban context, a multi-level facility that stitches into the neighbourhood while delivering a recovery focused model of care in an environment that is connected to nature and landscape

  14.45

  Three words: Early intervention = wellbeing

  Graham Harris, Principal, Practice group manager, Arcadis, UK

  

  Graham Harris

  Principal, Practice group manager, Arcadis, UK

  Graham Harris is an experienced architect and project director. Skilled at delivering all aspects of a project, he is particularly strong at executing innovative stakeholder consultation processes. He places collaborative working as the focus of his leadership, winning awards for outstanding team delivery and high client satisfaction. In healthcare, he works alongside clients to transform their ‘model of care’ into an efficient and therapeutic healing environment, ensuing overall cost savings and improving service delivery. Graham is highly competent at meeting the design challenges posed by complex refurbishment works within a live hospital environment. His experience includes the development of complicated phasing plans to meet both clinical and construction requirements. With a rich background in healthcare design, Graham is very aware of trust requirements, ensuring solutions address future flexibility, energy efficiency and, most importantly, reduced infection rates.

  + View abstract

  Three words: Early intervention = wellbeing

  Abstract Copy

  Young people are our future and ensuring their wellness is essential – and the health systems that support them are a crucial part of a resilient and sustainable future. The Pears Maudsley Centre was conceived around the ethos that early interventions prevent long-term sickness in young people with mental health challenges.
  
  Providing an integrated service that delivers both national and local mental health care is an essential part of ensuring the wellness of young people across a system. Bringing the researchers who create innovative approaches in mental health knowledge together in a single facility alongside the teams who provide the care and deal with young people (and their families) in crisis is a crucial part of achieving population health and wellness that can be delivered in a sustainable and cost-effective way. By solving the issues early, the costs – both human and financial – can be reduced significantly and the long-term outcomes for young people to go on and enjoy productive and rewarding lives hugely impacted for the positive, achieving long-term wellness.
  
  Great care has gone into the design of a facility that combines the aspirational alongside the routine urgency in delivering care. The project gained additional momentum during the Covid-19 pandemic, when young people's mental health became 'news' in terms of creating long-term sustainable healthcare. Creating adaptive environments within the building were essential to not only destigmatise a mental health facility for service users but also act as a draw card for leading academics, while capturing elements of daily life (the Maudsley School), all of which co-exist within the centre to provide a human-centric environment that solves issues early and delivers long-term results.
  
  Designing for young people required dialogue, especially for such a neurodiverse group, and creative workshops, which helped distil the divergent ideas into a cohesive design response that not only delivers operational practicality, but also ensures the principles of inbuilt sustainability. Access to natural daylight, nature and low energy usage, as well as ongoing maintenance regimes and consideration of the impact on the surrounding context (overshadowing neighbouring patient areas) were all part of the design solution and ensure that outpatient specialist tertiary services are delivered from contemporary and relevant spaces that the reflect the needs of service users and that can adapt as conditions or treatment regimens evolve. These considerations all form part of a resilient and equitable health service that delivers long-term wellness to the population.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Early interventions prevent long-term sickness in young people with mental health challenges
  • The importance of integrated services
  • Access to outside space and daylight is paramount

  15.00

  Panel discussion

  15.30 - 16.00Video+Poster Gallery, exhibition, coffee and networking

  + View gallery

  16.00 - 17.15

  Session 37

   - Tertiary hospital design showcase

  

  Chair: Gonzalo Vargas, Healthcare practice lead, Associate principal, Perkins&Will, UK

  

  Gonzalo Vargas

  Healthcare practice lead, Associate principal, Perkins&Will, UK

  Gonzalo is the Health sector lead, supporting Perkins&Will’s established and experienced design studios across the UK and Ireland in delivering a growing portfolio of healthcare projects of lasting social value. Gonzalo spent his formative years studying architecture and urbanism in Peru before relocating to the UK in 2002 where he began specialising in the healthcare sector. Gonzalo has worked at Nightingale Associates, Steffian Bradley Architects, NBBJ, BDP and TODD. With over 20 years’ experience and an MSc in Planning Buildings for Health, Gonzalo has a proven record in the design and delivery of many different types and sizes of healthcare facilities across the UK and Europe. Gonzalo is member of the Executive Committee of Architects for Health. As a leading expert in the field of healthcare design, Gonzalo’s specialist knowledge equips him to dynamically pursue positive user experience, design quality and functionality while maximising efficiencies on costs by working together with clients, consultants and contractors.

  16.00

  Sunderland Eye Hospital: Health at the heart of urban regeneration

  Philip Miller, Associate, Ryder Architecture, UK

  

  Philip Miller

  Associate, Ryder Architecture, UK

  Phil joined Ryder in 2013 and leads a number of key healthcare projects, including Friarage surgical centre and Sunderland Eye Hospital. He has also held key roles for several nationally significant schemes, including Dumfries and Galloway Hospital, Emergency Care Centre and the Children’s Heart Unit. Phil is passionate about collaborative working and stakeholder engagement, leading a broad programme of engagement across projects including Future Homes and the Academic Health and Science Network Digital Skills Hub. Phil is a senior member of Ryder’s healthcare sector board and leads the group's development of cross-practice efficiencies and standardisation for healthcare projects. He studied at Sheffield and Newcastle Universities.

  + View abstract

  Sunderland Eye Hospital: Health at the heart of urban regeneration

  Abstract Copy

  Themed on health ecosystems this session explores the development of Sunderland Eye Hospital as an integral part of city centre regeneration. We look into the development of the project and its role as part of a holistic and diverse community in a post-industrial city in north east England.
  
  Sunderland Eye Hospital is a new-build dedicated eye hospital located within the Riverside Sunderland regeneration area. The new hospital replaces the existing building which is no longer fit for purpose.
  
  Built on a brownfield site in central Sunderland, the hospital forms an intrinsic part of the wider Riverside Sunderland regeneration which brings together healthcare, housing, culture, leisure and employment opportunities. Covering 32 hectares, the regeneration is developing 1,000 homes, 100,000 square metres (sqm) of commercial office space as well as constructing a dedicated cultural venue ‘Culture House’ and generating up to 10,000 new jobs. The hospital provides 10,000sqm of clinical accommodation across four floors. The building is a standalone facility on an 8,000sqm site overlooking the adjacent Riverside Park and River Wear.
  
  The master plan creates the conditions for a city centre ecosystem of health and wellbeing, providing the diversity in services to attract and maintain a multicultural and multigenerational community in the heart of the city.
  
  The project was identified as a key component of the master plan from the outset, and while an ongoing project the hospital will serve as a destination node, bringing increased footfall to the site and city centre, acting as a catalyst for improved local services and demand.
  
  The main entrance have been located to face directly into the riverside development, and through a consistent approach to landscaping, seamlessly blurs the boundary between the different functions. Being in the heart of the city, the hospital benefits from its proximity to national and local rail services, including the Tyne and Wear Metro, city and regional bus routes. This demonstrably improves connectivity and broadens the travel options for patients and staff.
  
  The hospital brings high-quality healthcare to the people, delivering services on people’s doorsteps, creating an attractive and active environment, and promoting health and wellbeing at the heart of our cities.
  
  Once live, the impact of the project will be monitored and compared against other recent examples of healthcare services in the community, including primary care and community diagnostic centres.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Healthcare as a catalyst for urban renewal
  • Integration of healthcare and communities
  • Interdependence of healthcare and city services

  16.15

  From vision to reality: Transforming spaces for ALS patients and their families

  Marta Parra Casado, Co-founder, Virai Arquitectura, Spain

  

  Marta Parra Casado

  Co-founder, Virai Arquitectura, Spain

  Marta is a pioneering architect and international reference in hospital architecture, specialising in elderly care and healthcare and renowned for her innovative approach to person-centred design, neuroarchitecture and sustainability. She graduated from the Polytechnic University of Madrid (1998), and is co-founder of Virai Arquitectura (2001) and Parra-Müller Arquitectura de Maternidades (2008), whose projects include award-winning iconic buildings, pioneering maternity renovations and senior residences in Spain, Africa and Latin America. Virai and Parra-Müller received the 2022 EHD Award in the Adaptation and Transformation category for the renovation of the Maternity Unit at Punta de Europa Hospital in Algeciras. Marta was also recipient of the 'Architect of the Year 2018' award from the Spanish Council of Architects, alongside Ángela Müller. She is also Director of Architecture for the Master’s in Hospital Engineering and Architecture at the University of Cádiz and guest lecturer at leading universities. Marta is committed to using architecture as a tool to improve lives, fostering wellbeing and health, with a special focus on vulnerable users.

  Juan Manuel Herranz Molina, Co-founder, Virai Arquitectura, Spain

  

  Juan Manuel Herranz Molina

  Co-founder, Virai Arquitectura, Spain

  Juan Manuel Herranz Molina is an architect from the Polytechnic University of Madrid (1999) with a Master’s in 'Conservation and Restoration of Architectural and Urban Heritage' (2000). Co-founder of Virai Arquitectura with Marta Parra, he has won numerous national and international awards and is certified in straw construction by the RCFP. His work spans multiple scales and continents, from the Institutional Winery for the Government of La Rioja to sustainable learning spaces in Gambia. Notable projects include the Day Care Center in Meliana, Spain's largest public building made with wood and rice straw, awarded for its sustainability. He has also been a guest lecturer and speaker in Europe and the Americas, specialising in sustainable architecture.

  + View abstract

  From vision to reality: Transforming spaces for ALS patients and their families

  Abstract Copy

  Healthcare spaces often fail to address the holistic needs of patients with complex medical conditions. The ALS Day Care Center at Isabel Zendal Hospital in Madrid is the first project of its kind in Spain, pioneering humanised healthcare design for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and their families. This groundbreaking facility demonstrates the transformative power of architecture in specialised healthcare, aligning therapeutic care with dignity, autonomy and wellbeing.
  
  The project aimed to transform a utilitarian, industrial-like space within a pandemic-focused hospital into a therapeutic and welcoming environment. The design prioritised patient and family needs, creating a space that fosters interaction, provides emotional support and enhances the quality of life. After several months of operation, the project's impact has extended beyond architecture, influencing public policy. Recently, a law was approved in Spain to provide greater support for ALS patients and their families, underscoring the significance of this initiative.
  
  Setting: a challenging construction within an active hospital, completed in just a few months.
  Design features: integration of natural light and green patios for biophilic connection, use of sustainable materials for a domestic ambiance, and adaptable spaces for therapy, socialisation and privacy.
  Accessibility: designed for advanced mobility needs, including oversized wheelchairs and assistive devices, ensuring inclusivity.
  Collaborative approach: close engagement with healthcare professionals and advocacy groups to ensure that the design met both medical and emotional needs.
  
  The centre has had a profound and measurable impact on patients, families and staff. It provides a space where ALS patients can retain autonomy, foster social connections and find emotional respite. The humanised environment alleviates caregiver burnout and improves interdisciplinary collaboration among healthcare professionals. The recognition of its success has positioned the centre as a national model for specialised care facilities.
  
  This project exemplifies how architecture can transcend functionality, becoming a tool for social change and improved healthcare outcomes. By integrating human-centred design, sustainability and therapeutic innovation, the ALS Day Care Center at Isabel Zendal Hospital sets a new benchmark in healthcare design, offering replicable solutions for global challenges in specialised care.
  
  https://nanarquitectura.com/2024/07/05/centro-especializado-de-atencion-diurna-para-personas-con-ela-en-el-hospital-isabel-zendal/36176
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Discover innovative approaches to integrating therapeutic environments within healthcare design for ALS patients, focusing on holistic care
  • Understand the role of biophilic design, sustainability and neuroarchitecture in creating impactful healthcare spaces
  • Learn how architectural design can promote dignity and autonomy for vulnerable patients and their families

  16.30

  A new Canadian ambulatory health centre built entirely with philanthropy

  Feby Kuriakose, Principal, NORR, Canada

  

  Feby Kuriakose

  Principal, NORR, Canada

  Health sciences principal Feby Kuriakose is passionate about creating spaces that push design boundaries and provide environments to promote the wellbeing and healing of the body and mind. With more than two decades of experience, Feby has designed and managed a wide spectrum of large-scale, complex projects. Feby approaches every project with a keen sensitivity to cultural identities and environmental factors. Feby is leading the multi-location roll-out of the Canadian Blood Services plasma donor centres across Canada as well as other key projects to support important research, and is managing a new stand-alone ambulatory surgical centre that is the new model of care to address and solve the backlog of elective surgeries created by the pandemic. She is a mentor to young talent at NORR and is passionate about creating equitable working environments that promote diversity and inclusion.

  Frank Panici, Vice president, NORR, Canada

  

  Frank Panici

  Vice president, NORR, Canada

  For 30 years, Frank has built trusted relationships with health sciences clients, guided by a deep commitment to creating environments that promote health, wellness and the delivery of vital services. He combines his creative vision and technical expertise to lead multidisciplinary teams in delivering specialised designs across diverse healthcare settings – including acute care, continuing care, community-based care, ambulatory surgery centres, cancer care centres and life sciences. He is a champion of the immersive design process, which integrates virtual reality and in-situ simulation technologies to foster seamless collaboration between clinicians and architects, ensuring rigorously tested solutions that improve care delivery. His portfolio includes significant design projects, such as the Peter Gilgan Patient Care Tower at St. Michael’s Hospital, Princess Margret Cancer Centre Space Transformation, LGC Group North American Headquarters, Essex Centre of Research (CORe) at the University of Windsor, Ontario, and the Canadian Blood Services facility in Calgary, Alberta.

  Adam Zaricki, Chief strategy officer, Schroeder Ambulatory Centre, Canada

  

  Adam Zaricki

  Chief strategy officer, Schroeder Ambulatory Centre, Canada

  Adam Zaricki is an executive leader and corporate strategy advisor in healthcare technology and aerospace fields. Since 2020, Adam has served as a senior advisor to the family foundation of Canadian philanthropists Walter and Maria Schroeder. He oversees charitable investments to build out new, efficient healthcare capacity and to develop novel therapeutic approaches for common health conditions. For the new-start Schroeder Ambulatory Centre project, Adam is serving as Chief strategy officer, responsible for the overall centre business plan, medical programme plans, facility design oversight, project management for operational readiness, and the underlying IT and healthcare technology strategies. Previously he served as Vice president, corporate strategy and program management at US biotechnology firm NantHealth, where he managed the portfolio of strategic technology and M&A investments and led the launch of the first commercial whole genome sequencing test for cancer therapeutic decision support. Adam holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in engineering from the University of Florida.

  Haley Driscoll, Principal, NORR, United States

  

  Haley Driscoll

  Principal, NORR, United States

  Haley is the Principal of the Philadelphia Health Sciences Studio. With more than 25 years of experience, she leads the design process for many nationally-acclaimed healthcare projects. Her leadership and guidance of project team designers has been instrumental in growing NORR’s Health Sciences Center of Excellence. Her work has resulted in recognition from several organizations, including the Best Healthcare Award from the Philadelphia Chapter of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), the prestigious Vista award from the American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) and the American Hospital Association. A recent award, the Health Facilities Symposium User-Centered Award, reflects her commitment to delivering a design project that incorporates all perspectives – patients, family and care givers and clinicians. Haley’s carefully honed knowledge of design and sensitivity to the challenges in the healthcare environment, paired with her collaborative work style has earned the role of “trusted advisor” from her clients. In addition to being a thought leader in the industry, her experience ranges across most modalities of project types varying from small clinics and outpatient centers to major hospital complexes.

  + View abstract

  A new Canadian ambulatory health centre built entirely with philanthropy

  Abstract Copy

  The Schroeder Ambulatory Centre, initiated by the Schroeder Foundation, is a groundbreaking healthcare project designed to address Canada’s pressing issue of wait times for common outpatient surgeries and clinical services. As an independent, non-profit facility – the first of its kind in Ontario and Canada – it offers an efficient, multidisciplinary model for delivering ambulatory care. By removing elective surgeries, general and specialist clinics, and diagnostic services from critical care hospitals, the Centre reduces pressure on the broader healthcare system. With a capacity for up to 200,000 patient visits annually, it supports the Ontario Ministry of Health’s decentralisation strategy while demonstrating support for healthcare innovation and sustainability. This approach, once fully realised, will serve as a model for improved care across Canada.
  
  The Centre’s primary objective is to improve access to timely care and enhance patient outcomes while driving net cost savings. By decentralising elective surgeries, common clinical services and diagnostics, the Centre not only alleviates hospital strain but also provides local communities with closer, more efficient healthcare options. This Centre’s approach draws on extensive experience of ambulatory centres in the US and other developed countries. Additionally, utilising adaptive reuse, efficient and sustainable operational practices, along with advanced medical technology, the project demonstrates how non-profit initiatives can address systemic healthcare challenges.
  
  The project transforms a 300,000 square foot medical office building into a state-of-the-art ambulatory surgical facility. Employing LEAN design principles, the team focused on eliminating inefficiencies, optimising workflows and embedding patient-centric solutions throughout. The design incorporates thoughtful use of colours, textures and organic forms to create a calming environment and aid in wayfinding and signage to ensure intuitive navigation. Challenges posed by the existing structure, such as non-purpose-built layouts and curved walls, required innovative solutions, including strategic placement of operating rooms and imaging equipment to minimise structural upgrades. The Immersive Design Process, developed by NORR, ensured continuous collaboration with user groups from pre-design to operational readiness. Early engagement with the Ministry of Health and City officials, enabled the team to navigate complex code compliance and regulatory challenges.
  
  The Schroeder Ambulatory Centre represents a landmark in Canadian healthcare. By reducing surgical wait times, advancing patient care and fostering innovation, it exemplifies how visionary philanthropy can create lasting community impact. As one of the largest philanthropic healthcare donations in Canada’s history, it sets a precedent for future ventures to address systemic challenges.
  

  Learning Objectives

  • Addressing systemic healthcare challenges
  • Providing a sustainable, scalable model for healthcare delivery
  • Improving access to timely care and enhance patient outcomes

  16.45

  The birth of a new generation – South Texas’ first dedicated Women and Children’s Hospital

  Tiffany Robinson Long, Partner, Marmon Mok Architecture, USA

  

  Tiffany Robinson Long

  Partner, Marmon Mok Architecture, USA

  Tiffany Long has a specialisation in healthcare design and experience in planning and design of a variety of healthcare facilities. Tiffany’s focus on sustainability and implementation of evidence-based design practices during project design helps to improve facilities’ energy performance, staff productivity and patient satisfaction. Her belief that the quality of a patient’s surroundings has a direct impact on a person’s wellbeing helps create patient-centred environments and promote new ways to solve the everyday challenges of our built environment. As a registered architect and interior designer, she pulls from both disciplines to promote a collaborative atmosphere with creative design solutions for flexibility of evolving cultures and technology. Tiffany is a former chair of the local AIA Healthcare Knowledge Community and founding member of the San Antonio chapter of Women in Healthcare. She was a strong advocate for this project since its inception, as a local resident and mother of four, using her personal experiences and knowledge of San Antonio's rich Mexican influence to inform the overall design.

  Mike Fialkowski, Principal, Affiliated Engineers, USA

  

  Mike Fialkowski

  Principal, Affiliated Engineers, USA

  For over 20 years, Mike’s leadership has helped advance technology teams, enabling them to understand available solutions, develop plans for implementation and provide precise technology consultancy. He is considered a national expert in clinical communications, wired/wireless infrastructures, collaborative audio-visual solutions, integration of information/operational technologies (IT/OT) and safety/security technology planning.

  Janet Pangman, Principal, ZGF Architects, USA

  

  Janet Pangman

  Principal, ZGF Architects, USA

  With communication and care at the core of her leadership style, Janet Pangman is a medical planner who designs healthcare facilities with heart. Inspired by creating comfortable, welcoming environments that help to ease the hardship of illness, Janet takes pleasure in creating a dialogue between clients and users to understand how they work and translating that into spaces that support their goals and workflows. Her keen awareness of medical facility operations and functional requirements allows Janet to simultaneously address the aesthetics, workflow and technical issues to create healthcare environments that warm the heart and heal the soul. Janet currently serves as the President of the Women in Healthcare Greater Los Angeles Chapter and is on the membership committee for the Association for Medical Facility Professionals. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Design from Arizona State University and a Master of Architecture from University of California, Los Angeles.

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  The birth of a new generation – South Texas’ first dedicated Women and Children’s Hospital

  Abstract Copy

  The University Health Women’s and Children’s Hospital in San Antonio, Texas is the first hospital in South Texas to focus solely on women’s and children’s health, and one of only 20 in the nation. The facility is a Level IV maternity centre, capable of treating the highest acuity cases. The hospital addresses regional health outcome disparities, while specialising in high-risk deliveries and pregnancy complications with a Level IV neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
  
  Located on an urban site, this project consists of a 14-storey tower intersecting a 900-car parking structure. Facilitating continuity between the new tower and existing campus thoroughfares, the team developed a solution using 90-foot-wide, 15-foot-tall steel Howe trusses to span the existing road. These trusses connect to concrete columns supporting the podium's entry and the parking garage. This method transfers loads, provides unobstructed space under the truss and reduces the number of columns. The bundled steel and concrete forms large elliptical columns within the podium, adding a visually striking rhythm. This supports the tower above, while maintaining a column-free 32-foot x 32-foot grid, ideal for healthcare facilities. This is one of the first applications for this structure in the United States.
  
  Achieving LEED Gold, the building has a 28 per cent reduction in energy compared to the ASHRAE 90.1-2010 baseline. It employs multiple energy efficiency measures, including a high-performance envelope, LED lighting, water conservation and a 13 per cent reduction in embodied carbon. The design capitalises on the local climate's abundant sunshine, while protecting users from extreme elements. The room layout and façade design provide even daylight to the patient’s bedside. The glazing orients northward and projects from the façade in pleats to take advantage of hill country views and provide maximum daylighting without overheating the family zone.
  
  The design embeds the tower's numerous prefabricated elements and mechanical systems into the sleek aesthetic. The patient bathrooms, curtain walls and MEP racks are some of the first examples of extensive prefabrication for a healthcare facility in the nation. This provides unparalleled consistency across rooms, while positively impacting both the construction schedule and budget. The offsite fabrication removed hundreds of people from the operational campus a day, minimising the impact to the facility during construction.
  
  The facility is responsive to both its environmental and human context. It provides outstanding care to a historically underserved population, providing comprehensive services to mothers, children and their families.

  Learning Objectives

  • Innovative structural solutions to open up flow on an urban hospital site
  • Sustainability applications in healthcare – LEED Gold
  • Prefabrication in healthcare construction to reduce on-site labour in an operational hospital

  17.00

  Panel discussion

  End of Project showcase stream

Awards ceremony

Wolfson Theatre

Lead Awards Partner

17.00 - 18.00

Session 22

 - Awards ceremony

17.15

European Healthcare Design 2025 Awards ceremony

Jaime Bishop, Director, Fleet Architects; Chair, Architects for Health, UK

Jaime Bishop

Director, Fleet Architects; Chair, Architects for Health, UK

Jaime is a proven project designer, competition winner and studio leader. During his professional career he has been responsible for multiple projects with values ranging between £8 and £120 million and was one of three associate directors responsible for the management of a 65-person firm under a managing director. He is an experienced all-round designer with specialist skills in healthcare and has sat on the executive board of Architects for Health (AfH) since 2006. He has significant experience as the lead architect in major PFI schemes including the preparation of a reference project for a $2 billion teaching hospital in Adelaide, Australia. He has been a visiting tutor at various universities since 2002, including Nottingham, Cardiff and London Metropolitan. Since 2012, Jaime Bishop and Richard Henson have been teaching third-year degree level students at London South Bank University and established their studio, The Transpontine Laboratory, based at the university, in 2014. Jaime was educated at the Royal College of Art, Bath University and the TU Delft Highrise Scholarship. He has been ARB registered and a member of RIBA since 2006. He is a recognised figure in the healthcare sector with connections throughout the industry. Jaime has detailed knowledge of traditional and private finance initiative (PFI) contracts, fee negotiation and project cost control. Jaime has sat on the board of the City and Hackney NHS Clinical Commissioning Group and, social enterprise East London Integrated Care. He has also served as an elected governor at the Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

17.45

Closing remarks

Sunand Prasad OBE, Programme director, European Healthcare Design; Principal, Perkins&Will, UK

Sunand Prasad OBE

Programme director, European Healthcare Design; Principal, Perkins&Will, UK

Sunand Prasad is a principal at Perkins&Will. While designing across several sectors, he has been consistently engaged in healthcare and sustainability for four decades. At the core of his architectural practice, alongside interdisciplinary collaboration, Sunand holds a passionate belief that expertise and aesthetic judgement are most effective in creating truly successful environments when they are catalysed by the everyday experience of people. Sunand has been active in the wider built environment industry, particularly championing low-carbon, regenerative design, and until recently, as chair of the UK Green Building Council. He was President of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) from 2007 to 2009, campaigning for action on climate change. He was founding member of the UK Government’s Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment; a London Mayor’s design advocate; a trustee of the Centre for Cities; and Chair of the trustees of Article 25, the humanitarian architecture charity. He currently chairs the Editorial Board of the Journal of Architecture and the External Advisory Board of TRUUD, a major research project on the fundamental links between health and urban development. He has written widely on architecture, sustainability and healthcare design, such as the book 'Changing Hospital Architecture'.

Garden Party

Supported by

18.30 - 22.00Garden party and live music

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