Biophilic design is slowly gaining momentum in medical facilities, according to an article on the Healthcare Construction + Operations website.
"Biophilia," refers to the urge to affiliate with other forms of life.
The ultimate goal of this design is to influence patient and staff’s psychological and physiological response to their own space, further creating a more helpful healing environment and reducing the length of patient stay, the article said.
One example is Singapore’s Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, a $700 million, 590-bed general and acute care hospital, which includes 10,957-square-feet of greenery. The design creates a rainforest-like atmosphere with a cascading waterfall flowing into a central garden courtyard, rooftop gardens and planter boxes along corridors and outside wards to provide patients with green views.
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