Evidence-based Design Approach Research Articles

Effectiveness of Evidence-Based Design Approaches for Built Environment Professional Education: A Case Study on an Urban Design Studio

Urban built environment professions are facing challenges due to the less predictable future of cities, as well as the increasing expectations from clients and the general public. It is crucial to support and inform these professions with sound evidence in order to promote the sustainability of cities. However, there have been few efforts to introduce evidence-based design (EBD) theories and frameworks into built environment professional education. This study presents an EBD framework for an undergraduate urban design studio. The effectiveness and long-term impact of EBD approaches and the framework presented were examined via learning outcomes, student reflections, and guest comments across two rounds of studio delivery. The reflections and comments were coded and analyzed using NVivo 11. The effectiveness of the EBD approach is confirmed for the premises, development, and effectiveness of urban design proposals that align with the concerns and expectations of professional guests. The wide range of evidence and techniques also fosters cross-disciplinary collaborations. This study sheds light on education in the built environment disciplines, which would further enhance the strength of relevant professions, ultimately contributing to the sustainability of society.

Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in healthcare facilities: A systematic literature review and gap analysis

Numerous studies have examined the connection between indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and health in various healthcare settings. However, it remains uncertain whether these findings are consistent across a wide array of healthcare environments and for the diverse IEQ elements such as daylighting, thermal comfort, acoustics, and indoor air quality. As a result, this study aims to holistically assess the impact of IEQ elements on healthcare facilities with a focus on patient and staff outcomes and identify the gaps in knowledge within the domain. The study applied a qualitative research approach, including a systematic literature review from the last three decades, covering four major databases (PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science). The collective body of research consistently demonstrates that favourable IEQ positively impacts patient recovery, reduces stress levels, shortens hospital stays, and enhances staff effectiveness in care delivery. Nevertheless, a notable research gap exists concerning the combined effects of IEQ on healing outcomes, particularly between purpose-built and non-purpose-built healthcare facilities. To bridge this gap, we propose adopting an evidence-based design approach to understand the relationship between a hospital's indoor environment and the well-being of both patients and staff, with a specific focus on architectural considerations. The study also proposes a conceptual framework that helps understand the dynamics of IEQ elements in healthcare facilities. The outcomes of this review offer valuable insights for researchers, policymakers, and building and healthcare professionals, facilitating the enhancement of IEQ design guidelines and standards tailored to healthcare facilities.

Theory-based design for promoting positive behaviours in an urban blue space: Pre-and-post observations of a community co-created intervention in Plymouth, United Kingdom

Behaviour observation and mapping are useful planning tools to generate evidence to create people-friendly public spaces. Small-scale interventions are gaining popularity as cost-effective and quick solutions to regenerate degraded urban outdoor environments. Onsite behaviour observation mapping with GIS underpins evidence gathering, analysis, and planning and design decision-making. Using the BlueHealth Behaviour Assessment Tool (BBAT) developed within the EU-funded Horizon 2020 Project “Blue Health”, we carried out pre- and post- intervention observations of visits, activities and visitors' characteristics in a site at Teats Hill, Plymouth, United Kingdom. Pre-post comparison of visits and activities in three target areas the entire site before and the within-site intervention area (a small open-air theatre) and the rest of the site afterwards were examined to analyse the impact of the intervention on socialising and relaxing activities. Behaviour observation data was both spatially and statistically analysed. Key outcomes were sitting, standing, walking, activity with a dog, viewing, using a phone and socialising. Both a logistic regression model and spatial analysis using density maps and hot spot analysis confirmed an increased use of the open-air theatre and its positive impact on the use of the rest of the park (the non-intervention area). Our logit models showed that the intervention promoted positive behaviour for health (i.e. blue space activities, socialisation, and relaxing activities), greater inclusivity and diversity of visitors. We conclude that an evidence-based design approach can increase blue space accessibility, improve place affordances and promote positive behaviour and psychological well-being benefitting local communities.

Health implications of the built environment: lessons for an evidence-based design

The purpose of the built environment had always been focused on protection from external hostilities (wild creatures, worse climatic conditions, etc.) and internal comfort. Recent studies suggest another spectrum regarding the physical and psychological implications of the built environment. As a specialised and crossed-disciplinary research area, the results are less than often conveyed and incorporated in the planning design practice. This research aims to develop a comprehensive base about the implications of the built environment for incorporation in future planning and design. The evidence-based design approach was used based on the extraction and analysis of published research from JSTOR, Google Scholar, PubMed, and Scopus through single and combined keyword searches, like the evidence-based design; architecture and health; impacts of layouts; social capital; healing environment; stress reduction; social support; views of nature; daylighting; urban planning and health etc. The data was analysed for different levels of evidence, and only those studies having excellent, good, and fair levels of evidence were included. The results were broadly categorised into two levels: the macro-level (urban and regional planning) and the micro-level (architectural level). The results of this study may improve the existing and future planning and design.

Wayfinding Implementations: An Evidence-Based Design Approach to Redesign College Building

Wayfinding Implementations: An Evidence-Based Design Approach to Redesign College Building

Designing a Cardiac Intensive Care Unit by Employing an Evidence-Based Design Approach

Designing a Cardiac Intensive Care Unit by Employing an Evidence-Based Design Approach

Transforming Building Criteria to Evidence Index

There is increasing pressure from developers toward architects and engineers to deliver scientifically sound proposals for often complex and cost-intensive construction products. An increase in digitalization within the construction industry and the availability of intelligently built assets and overall sustainability make it possible to customize a construction product. This servitization of construction products is assumed to perform much preferably in satisfying stakeholders’ physical, psychological, and social needs. The degree to which these products are performing can be evaluated through an evidence index. This article aims to introduce a conceptual model of an evidence index and test it in the programming stage of a case study. The investigation follows the evidence-based design approach and renders evidence through key performance indicators in the programming stage of the building process. For testing the concept, a case study investigation was performed by simulating a novice research assistant, and the amount of evidence was collected and appraised for evidence index. The case study showed that key performance indicators of a servitized project could be evaluated on a four-point scale. The quality of the evidence index generation depended on the level of expertise the evaluator has in research and the skilful use of scientific databases.

Evidence-Based Design in Architectural Education: Designing the First Maggie's Centre in Israel.

Objective:The study examines the integration of the Evidence-based Design (EBD) approach in healthcare architecture education in the context of an academic design studio.Background:Previous research addressed the gap between scientific research and architectural practice and the lack of research on the use of the EBD approach in architectural education.Methods:The research examines an undergraduate architectural studio to design a Maggie’s Centre for cancer care in Israel and evaluates the impact of the EBD approach on the design process and design outcomes. The research investigates the impact of the integration of three predesign tasks: (1) literature review of healing architecture research, (2) analysis and comparison of existing Maggie’s Centres, and (3) analysis of the context of the design project.Results:The literature review of scientific research supported the conceptual design and development of the projects. The analysis of existing Maggie’s centers, which demonstrated the interpretation of the evidence by different architects, developed the students’ ability to evaluate EBD in practice critically, and the study of the projects’ local context led the students to define the relevance of the evidence to support their vision for the project.Conclusions:The research demonstrates the advantages of practicing EBD at an early stage in healthcare architectural education to enhance awareness of the impact of architectural design on the users’ health and well-being and the potential to support creativity and innovative design. More studies in design studios are needed to assess the full impact of integrating EBD in architectural education.

Influence of Nature at the Time of the Pandemic: An Experience-Based Survey at the Time of SARS-CoV-2 to Demonstrate How Even a Short Break in Nature Can Reduce Stress for Healthcare Staff.

The current COVID-19 pandemic has been causing significant upheavals in the daily lives of citizens and consequently also their mood (stress, distraction, anxiety, etc.), especially during the lockdown phase. The aim of the investigation is to evaluate the benefits of 20-30 minutes in contact with nature. The Scientific Community, also through the evidence-based design approach, has already demonstrated the importance of greenery and nature on the psychophysical well-being of people and, in a moment of emergency, contact with the nature can be therapeutic and quite influential on the mental health of staff subject to stress. During the lockdown, an Italian multidisciplinary working group promoted an experience-based survey, based on the Profile of Mood States methodology, for measuring the psychophysical well-being of hospital staff. The author collected 77 questionnaires. The benefits that users have obtained from the experience in nature have been investigated by comparing the type of stresses they were subjected to and highlighting various peculiarities in the data analysis associated with the type of green in which they carried out the survey, the healthcare areas in which they worked during the pandemic emergency, and the moment in which the survey was conducted. The study has highlighted that a short break in green spaces strongly influenced the mental and psychophysical well-being of hospital staff, emphasizing the importance of nearby green spaces in architectures for health. Even a brief break in nature can regenerate users, especially in times of a stressful health emergency.

A comparative study of satisfaction evaluation between students of mid-rise and high-rise student housing

PurposeThe purpose of the current research is to examine the student’s residential satisfaction (SRS) of dormitories in Tehran and Shiraz. Providing homes for non-native students is considered as one of the key issues in university development.Design/methodology/approachA combination of qualitative and quantitative measurements (mixed methods) was used to compare some of the design features between middle-rise and high-rise student housing. Questionnaire forms were distributed between male students of “Shahid Beheshti University” and “Shiraz University” dormitories. Cluster sampling is done among residential blocks in each university. Students assessed perceived attributes of dormitories by indicating their satisfaction from different categories. The obtained data were analysed by SPSS software and the Mann-Whitney test.FindingsFindings show that although in comparing two samples with only some of the criteria, Shahid Beheshti University dormitory was ranked higher, generally Shiraz University dormitory was more successful in meeting resident’s satisfaction. Among the physical features, the pleasant views and landscape are important components which are related to aesthetic preferences.Research limitations/implicationsMore research examining student/environment interactions is needed to pay close attention to cultural aspects. The consideration of culturally diverse individuals in the assessment may also provide valuable insight into the students’ residential satisfaction.Practical implicationsIn sum, the design implications resulting from the data analysis act as a step toward an evidence-based design approach. Housing designers can integrate the research findings with design solutions. They take active part in the design process by developing new methodologies to highlight their role in creating high-quality student housing.Originality/valueThe relationship between students and their residential environment has been a mainstream topic in environmental psychology. Some previous studies have focused on socio-demographic characteristics, whereas others have dealt with the physical characteristics of the student housing that affect SRS.

Design for Mitigating Urban Heat Island: Proposal of a Parametric Model

Urban areas dramatically affect the microclimatic conditions of cities, and induce the ‘Urban Heat Island’ (UHI) effect, which generates many undesirable conditions in the living environment. In recent years, several studies have been examined a strong correlation between the morphology of urban areas and the development of heat island intensity. Then the increasing need for climate responsive design approaches calls for the development of new methodical approaches and tools to control the planned (trans)formation of the urban fabrics. Computational modelling techniques, in this context, suggest relevant methodologies to provide an evidence-based design approach to the issue. This research, in this regard, aims to propose a parametric model for analyzing the key morphological components of urban tissues with regards to the UHI intensity on the basis of ‘Sky View Factor’ (SVF) while testing the alternatives in generative manner. The proposed (parametric) model, therefore, stands on the close-correlation between the algorithmic simulation based on the selected parameters and morphological analysis. By the model, SVF values of the different building settings are calculated with reference to the basic building codes of the development planning system in Turkey (i.e. FAR, building height and setback) in an actual context. Then the proposed model is tested in the case of one of the transformation areas in Ankara, Turkey. Eventually, a methodical framework is aimed for a climate responsive urban design process to mitigate urban heat island.

Design of Genuine Birth Environment: Midwives Intuitively Think in Terms of Evidence-Based Design Thinking.

Objective:The objective of this study is to investigate a development project initiated and led by midwives.Background:The aim was to design an environment that could accommodate the wish to support professionalism while creating better and more cohesive patient treatment, improved patient safety, greater efficiency, higher quality, and stronger focus on the patient.Theory:The theoretical and analytical account is conducted within the framework of design thinking (DT), replacing the traditional evidence-based design approach with an evidence-based design thinking (EBDT) process underpinning participatory DT and co-creation.Method:Based on a longitudinal case study on a participatory design process, interviews are conducted. DT principles are used in the analysis of the interviews.Results:Genuineness arises when all users experience that the physical setting optimally underpins the birthing situation. It is essential to make visible the importance of the physical setting to human behavior in any situation.Conclusion:This study shows that midwives intuitively do EBDT. EBDT commands awareness of both research, design, midwifery care, and perspectives on space from women giving birth and their relatives. Collectively, that can provide the genuine scope of a healing birth environment.

Designing gardens for people with dementia: literature review and evidence-based design conceptual frame.

More and more dwelling facilities for people with dementia invest gardens as convivial, resourceful, and relational places. However, there is a demand for scientific evidence of such statements. The aims of this literature review are to enlighten scientific evidence concerning uses and therapeutic virtues of garden for people with dementia, and to contribute to an evidence-based design approach by identifying key dimension of garden design. Twenty two articles were selected for this literature review and six clusters were identified. These clusters are discussed in a conceptual frame and discussed in an environment-behaviour approach.

Redesigning a Graduate Student Center through Employing an Evidence-Based Design Approach

Redesigning a Graduate Student Center through Employing an Evidence-Based Design Approach

Making the Case for Practice-Based Research and the Imperative Role of Design Practitioners.

The purpose of this article is to justify the need for evidence-based design (EBD) in a research-based architecture and design practice. This article examines the current state of practice-based research (PBR), supports the need for EBD, illustrates PBR methods that can be applied to design work, and explores how findings can be used as a decision-making tool during design and as a validation tool during postoccupancy. As a result, design professions' body of knowledge will advance and practitioners will be better informed to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the society. Furthermore, characteristics of Friedman's progressive research program are used as a framework to examine the current state of PBR in design practice. A modified EBD approach is proposed and showcased with a case study of a renovated inpatient unit. The modified approach demonstrates how a highly integrated project team, especially the role of design practitioners, contributed to the success of utilizing baseline findings and evidence in decision-making throughout the design process. Lastly, recommendations and resources for learning research concepts are provided for practitioners. It is the role of practitioners to pave the way for the next generation of design professionals, as the request and expectation for research become more prevalent in design practice.

The Role of Color in Healthcare Environments, Emergent Bodies of Evidence-based Design Approach

The objective of this study is to overview the literature relative to color, as an environmental constituent, and its impacts in healthcare environments. Borrowing from the environmental behavioral paradigm, this study attempts to decipher myths and misconceptions as well as highlight well-evidenced research findings. Broad Literature review journal articles and reports of empirical studies in multiple disciplines were studied to identify theories, which could have design implications for color in healthcare design. Despite the incongruity and fragmentation of previous studies, it emerges from this overview that color impacts healthcare outcomes by reducing medical errors, promoting the sense of well-being, reducing stress, improving patients sleep, reducing length of stay, reducing spatial disorientation, increasing patient satisfaction, and increasing staff morale and productivity. While the review of literature indicates major findings relative to the impact of color on healthcare environments, yet ambiguities remained to be addressed. Previous studies on the use of color in healthcare environment have illustrated that there are some obvious, replicable, behavioral and perceptual effects from color that addressed their use in certain ways for design. However, color must be observed and analyzed in the contextual application to avoid generalizations about color perception and mood affects.

Positive distraction and the rehabilitation hospitals of joão filgueiras lima.

This article discusses the use of positive distraction, an evidence-based design approach, in rehabilitation hospitals in Brazil through the work of João Filgueiras Lima ("Lelé"). In many parts of the world architects may not formally incorporate theories of positive distraction and evidence-based design, but there are multiple international examples of health facility architects and designers that use nature, daylighting, art, and social interaction to enhance the healing experience. The work of the Brazilian architect João Filgueiras Lima is a particularly salient example. Lima has been a dominant figure in 20th and 21st century Brazilian architecture and the architect of several rehabilitation facilities. First positive distraction is defined as it relates to nature and art, and in the context of rehabilitation hospitals. Second, rehabilitation facilities are defined. The discussion then focuses on awareness of evidence-based design in Latin America. Next, Brazilian healthcare architecture is discussed along with the history of the Brazilian Sarah rehabilitation hospitals designed by Lelé and Lelé's role in the history of Brazilian architecture. Last we look at Lelé's use of positive distraction. Despite Lelé's recognition in Brazil, his work has not gained much international exposure. Lelé played a critical role in the design of the Sarah facilities and served on the board of directors for the Technological Center of the Sarah Network (CTRS) in Brazil from 1992 to 2009. Based on our review of his work it was clear that Lelé used positive distraction as a tool for creating healing environments. In spite of the lack of formal integration of evidence-based design in healthcare architecture in Latin America, many of its basic tenets have been incorporated in Brazilian rehabilitation hospitals. Lelé's projects are a clear example of this phenomenon and demonstrate an alignment between research and practitioner objectives. The presence of nature, art, and natural light in his rehabilitation hospitals serves as a model for evidence-based design in facilities throughout the world and presents an opportunity to measure the benefits of positive distraction on rehabilitation patient outcomes.

Architectural Requirements for Improving Social Interactions in Subway Stations: An Evidence Based Design Approach

Abstract: Environmental design is concerned with the function of people within an environment and their interactions. Subway stations spaces are important examples of public spaces that are in close connection with the social life of people. Also, the fact that the social interactions and relations between people and city environments are becoming indispensable for subway station space indicates that these spaces play an essential role in urban life. This paper addresses the result of a study conducted by the authors on the influential elements pi votal to the improvement of social interactions in subway stations. Th e theory of John Lang in Urban des ign with consideration of social interaction was considered in this stud y. The objective of the study was to identify the architectural requirements in improving social interaction between people and environment in subway station spaces according to an evidence based design approach. To do so, relevant literature in different disciplines, architecture, urban design, social sustainability and so on, were reviewed. Next, the most important environmental factors which contribute to human behavior in public spaces were derived and analyzed. D ata of the study were collected via questionnaires filled out by the users of Tehran’s subw ay stations. The colle cted data were ana lyzed and the architectural elements/requirements for improving social interactions were classified. The results of the study indicate that in the case of architectural requirements, contribution to the improvement of social interactions, design considerations for physical and mental safety, accessibility and lighting are the most important factors.

Using an EBD Approach for Healthcare Design

Those of us who work in the world of evidence-based design (EBD) are often under the illusion that everyone believes as strongly about using an evidence-based approach in healthcare design as we do. Apparently this is not the case-for some, EBD is still merely a marketing strategy rather than a solid approach to use in the design of healthcare facilities. This became clear to me at the 2013 Healthcare Design conference in Orlando. While riding the bus from the conference site back to my hotel one evening, I overheard three gentlemen with me on the bus discussing a session about EBD that they had attended. Without introducing myself as the co-editor of HERD, I joined their conversation and asked them if they an evidence-based approach in their They all answered with an enthusiastic yes. I asked how they found the evidence to guide their design projects. After a few moments of silence, one stated that he simply asked the client what they wanted in the and another answered that he used experience from past projects to guide his work. Next, I asked what journals they read to guide them in their project decisions. One answered that he occasionally read Healthcare Design. Since none of them mentioned HERD, I asked them, Do you ever read HERD? I was saddened to discover that one of my fellow passengers had never heard of HERD. The other two gentlemen explained that they had seen HERD but felt that it was too technical for them to use for their everyday practice.Of course this wasn't what I wanted to hear, being completely enthusiastic about HERD and EBD. Remember, all three gentlemen had said they EBD, but they didn't read any journals. This conversation validated my suspicion that some people will tell you that they use an evidence-based approach to healthcare design, when in fact they may do little to search for credible evidence to guide their project decisions. The conversation also caused me to reflect on factors that architects and designers at the grassroots level may consider to be barriers to using an evidence-based approach in their design. Therefore the aims of this editorial are to discuss frequently cited barriers to EBD and demystify the EBD process, making it easier for design practitioners (my buddies on the bus) to actually use evidence in their practice.Barriers to EBDThere are several aspects to an evidence-based approach in design that some may perceive as barriers. Some may believe that EBD is too costly, that they must add extra steps in the design process to accomplish EBD, yet there are few design firms who add extra charges for an EBD approach. Perhaps the notion that EBD adds costs to a project stems from the misconception that EBD implies a pure research methodology, when in fact EBD is the use of and application of existing evidence (research findings, observations, expert opinions, past experiences) to guide decision making in the design process. Working with the pure definition of EBD, no additional costs should be incurred in the process. On the other hand, if a formal research study is being conducted for a project, it is possible that additional costs may be incurred with the hiring of a research consultant (if necessary), the data collection process, the data analysis, and the dissemination of the research findings at national conferences or in professional journals.Another commonly cited barrier was mentioned by my fellow bus passengers, who indicated that research articles were too technical or too intimidating to read. Unfamiliarity with the research process, statistical analysis, and research terms can certainly be a barrier to those who have not had the opportunity, experience, or education in the research process. HERD has attempted to minimize this barrier by adding the Implications for Practice section to every article and will soon be adding a new feature, the Executive Summary section, which can be quickly perused by any reader for a quick synopsis of the purpose and findings of the article. …

Building better healthcare facilities through evidence-based design: breaking new ground at Vancouver Island Health Authority.

Many of today's healthcare facilities were constructed at least 50 years ago, and a growing number have outlived their useful lives. Despite renovations and renewals, they often fall short of providing an appropriate care setting. Clinicians and staff develop a mixture of compromises and workarounds simply to make things function. Evidence-based design principles are often absent from new healthcare facilities, perhaps because of lack of awareness of the principles or because implementing them may fall foul of short-term and short-sighted budgetary decisions. In planning a new healthcare facility in 2008, the executive team at Vancouver Island Health Authority decided to adopt the evidence-based design approach. They conducted site visits to newly constructed hospitals across North America and beyond, to determine best practices in terms of design and construction. These engagements resulted in the implementation of 102 evidence-based design principles and attributes in Victoria's Royal Jubilee hospital, a 500-bed Patient Care Centre. This $350M project was completed on time and on budget, showing that using evidence need not result in delays or higher costs. To date, the results of the evidence-based design are promising, with accolades coming from patients, staff and clinical partners, and a number of immediate and practical benefits for patients, families and care teams alike.