Through the design of supportive housing for adolescent mothers and their children, this practicum project explores the existing issue of teen parenting, and the importance of a supportive environment for teen mothers. Key areas of supportive design examined in the literature review include sense of control, social support, and positive distractions. This practicum also examines the developmental and environmental needs of infants. The comprehensive literature review of the existing challenges adolescent mothers face, the Theory of Supportive Design, and child development has informed the proposed design of House 784. / February 2017

Primary care clinics play a vital role in the US healthcare system, providing preventative and cost-effective care. New trends in healthcare such as the development of the medical home model for care, the application of electronic medical records (EMRs), the effort to increase access to care, and the need to adhere to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) will have direct impacts on the work flow and spatial delineation of primary care clinics. To ensure the success of primary care practices, the architectural design of primary care clinics needs to address these changes to satisfy both patients and staff, and to improve efficiency and outcomes of care. There is limited literature on the design usability (efficiency, effectiveness, and user satisfaction) of primary care clinics. This study developed a set of building usability evaluation tools to collect, analyze and interpret the “usability” of a primary care facility. The study used previous literature as well as a case study primary care clinic in Maryland as a basis to develop these tools. In the clinic, data were collected through an initial interview with the head nurse, a forty-hour behavioral observation, and a staff survey. A behavioral observation tool and a survey questionnaire were developed for the data collection. For data analysis, JMP Pro 9 software was used to analyze the data collected through behavioral observation and the staff survey. The literature review developed a “Building Usability Framework” specifically for healthcare design. A data analysis tool, the “Usability Matrix” was created to integrate and understand the analyzed data within the Building Usability Framework. Integrating the analyzed data from the case study within the Usability Matrix, a primary care clinic usability evaluation survey was developed at the end of the study. This survey along with the behavioral observation tool and design analysis tools were compiled together to produce the “Building Usability Evaluation Tool-Kit for Primary Care Clinics.” This tool-kit can be used by architects and researchers interested in designing and analyzing “usable” primary care clinics.

This practicum project is an investigation of the importance of providing a supportive and restorative temporary accommodation facility for breast cancer patients who are traveling from rural areas of Manitoba to receive treatment in Winnipeg. Exploring key areas of restorative and healing design in the literature review allowed for a comprehensive analysis and examination into three main areas. The key themes of restorative design are; Biophilic Design, Theory of Supportive Design, and supportive domestic environments. It is through this exploration of restorative design that a design for the Centre will be proposed.

This practicum explores potential for a new prison typology for federally sentenced women within Canada. The Koza Centre is an alternative to designs and practices currently in place that have the potential to create barriers to successful rehabilitation and reintegration. The primary intention of this work is to understand the issues and needs that are shared by many women who have come into conflict with the law and respond with an appropriate design. The methodology for this includes a brief history of women’s imprisonment in Canada and current political contexts, an analytical framework focused on overall well-being, and precedent studies. From this, programming and strategies have been developed that inform an evidence-based design. The result is a design focused on rehabilitation through the building of healthy relationships, ties to the community, programming that fosters successful reintegration, and supportive interior design that facilitates the well-being of those within the space. / February 2016

Bakgrund: Evidensbaserad Design (EBD) är en process som har utvecklats för att säkerställa att beslut om planering och utformning av vårdmiljön bygger på trovärdig forskning med målet att skapa bästa möjliga resultat för personal, patienter och närstående. Vårdmiljöforskning visar att en välplanerad och genomtänkt fysisk vårdmiljö spelar en viktig roll för patientsäkerhet, patientnöjdhet och arbetstillfredsställelse hos personalen. Inom begreppsramen för EBD ingår den visuella miljön som en variation av den fysiska miljön. Det finns redan mycket forskning som undersöker olika aspekter av den visuella miljön inom vården, men det finns dock lite forskning som beskriver åtgärder som syftar till att förbättra vårdmiljön på en akutmottagning.   Syfte: Att beskriva personalens upplevelse av den visuella miljön på akutmottagningen.   Metod: En kvalitativ induktiv intervjustudie genomfördes vid två akutmottagningar i södra Sverige. Femton (n = 15) intervjuer med legitimerade sjuksköterskor, undersköterskor och läkare utfördes. Intervjuerna analyserades med hjälp av innehållsanalys. Resultat: Personalen vid akutmottagningen upplevde att en balanserad visuell miljö främjar välbefinnande. Balansen består av en integration av klinisk funktionalitet och estetiska intryck. Den visuella miljön kan distrahera på olika sätt, vilket skapar en avledning från stressiga upplevelser. Det kan också uppmuntra nyfikenhet och reflektion. Aspekter av den visuella miljön kan emellertid vara distraherande på ett provocerande sätt vilket i sin tur kan ökar stress. En balanserad visuell miljön skapar atmosfär för vårdande. Den visuella miljön har en stimulerande känslomässig inverkan som kan vara både positiv och negativ samt stimulera delaktighet och dialog.   Slutsats: Att skapa en balanserad visuell miljö på akutmottagningen kräver en helhetssyn som inkludera funktionella och personliga perspektiv. Man kan dra slutsatsen att en balanserad visuell miljö i slutändan kan förbättra atmosfären på akutmottagningen och därmed bidra till en stödjande miljö som främjar en känsla av välbefinnande hos personal, patienter och närstående. / Background: Evidence-based Design (EBD) is a process that has been developed to ensure that decisions on planning and design of the healthcare environment are based on credible research with the goal of creating the best possible outcomes for staff, patients and next-of kin. Research on health care design shows that a well-planned and thought out physical environment plays an important role in patient safety, patient satisfaction and job satisfaction for the staff.  Within the conceptual framework of EBD, the visual environment is included as a variation of the physical environment. There is a substantial amount of research that examines different aspects of the visual environment within healthcare, there is however little research describing interventions aimed at improving the healthcare environment in an emergency department (ED). Purpose: To describe the staff experiences of the visual environment at an ED. Method: A qualitative inductive interview study was conducted at two emergency departments in southern Sweden.  Fifteen (n=15) interviews including registered nurses, assistant nurses and emergency physicians were conducted. The interviews were analyzed using content analysis. Result: The staff at the emergency department experienced that a balanced visual environment promotes well-being. The balance consists of an integration between clinical functionality and aesthetic impressions. The visual environment can be distracting in various ways, creating a diversion from stressful experiences. It can also encourage curiosity and reflection. Aspects of the visual environment can however be equally distracting in a provocative manner, reinforcing stress. The visual environment has a stimulating emotional impact that can be both positive and negative as well as stimulating participation and dialogue. A balanced visuell environment creates an atmosphere which supports caring. Conclusion: Creating a balanced visual environment in the emergency requires a holistic approach incorporating practical and personal perspectives. It can be concluded that providing a balanced visual environment can ultimately improve the atmosphere of the emergency department and thereby promote a sense of well-being in staff, patients and next-of kin.