Pediatric Neurology Center Thesis Volume II: Design

Pediatric Neurology Center Singapore 2021 - 2022 Thesis Volume 2: Design

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Singapore Pediatric Neurology Center 2021-2022 Thesis Volume 2: Design Emma Hilt Virginia Tech

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Mission statement: My mission is to be a wise and confident woman, who listens well and strives for healthier people and a healthier earth. In design, my top priority will be to create places where people know they are seen and supported. As a designer, I have a responsibility to care and innovate thorough solutions that lead people to live healthier and flourishing lives in spaces that help make the earth a healthier place.

ehilt@vt.edu (540) 235-6140 4

Table of contents

Part I: Introduction

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Thesis and Problem Statement Goals and Objectives

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Part 2: Concept and Plans

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Inspiration Parti: Organization and Architectural Considerations Space Plans

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Part 3: Design

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Family Centered Care Workplace Wellbeing Connection to Nature Development Through Play Sense of Place

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Introduction

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Project Statement Atop a wooded hill in Singapore’s medical district is a specialized three floor pediatric center, dedicated entirely to pediatric neurology. This facility provides specialized neurological care to children ranging in age from infancy to adolescence. By dedicating the entire 49,500 square foot space to pediatric neurology, this facility targets Singapore residents looking for treatment, but also international visitors seeking highly specialized medical care. To maximize human health and wellness, the building Is informed by principles of the WELL v2 building standard and places an emphasis on how to enhance healing, resilience, and learning through the built environment.

Thesis Statement Given the way that the brain responds to external stimuli and the changing nature of a developing body and brain, interior spaces have a significant opportunity to provide a sense of consistency, and to create an environment that healthily stimulates the brain. This center will respond to those areas of opportunity by responding to the developmental needs of children, particularly children with a different set of neurological factors, by providing areas to encourage play, learning, and movement through spaces that offer a variety of both amount and type of stimuli.

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Project goals and objectives Orient patient spaces for a family-centered care medical practice model 1. Ensure all patient rooms have sleeping space for two guests 2. Include amenity support spaces to maintain daily family routines

Create employee spaces centered around workplace wellbeing 1. Use WELL v2 principles to inform employee space standards 2. Include wellness spaces dedicated to respite and breaks from work

Encourage wellness through connections with nature 1. Maintain all exterior views to central courtyard 2. Use principles of biophilic design to inform building design

Integrate spaces to encourage children’s discovery and development through play 1. Create play spaces that address visual, tactile, auditory, and critical thinking skills

Develop a positive sense of place with the local and hospital community 1. Include signage with positive and welcoming presence in lobby that contributes to hospital brand 2. Create landmarks that all space users can identify and reference 3. Characterize the finishes to have symbolic significance to Singapore

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Concept and Plans

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Inspiration With so many patients coming to this hospital to address problems with their nervous system, this center seeks to challenge that negative outlook by instead celebrating the brain. Taking inspiration from the structure of the nervous system, this medical center is organized around the idea of the neuron cell. Taking the neural structure and applying it to the building, the space is organized around an emphasized central hub that connects all three floors by providing a visual landmark and vertical circulation. Satellite nodes connect to this central hub where multiple paths converge. From this focal point, a dominant path serves as the connection between the hub and the rest of the environmental context. Responding to the building shell, a secondary connected hub serves as a supportive wayfinding and organizational element for the more remote parts of the building.

Through this sense of connection inspired by the brain, individuals in this space will find themselves secure in a sense of connection between themselves, their environment, and others in the same place.

Neuron cell

Branching connections

Dominant path

Central hub

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Environmental connection

Neural elements

Parti: Organization and Architectural Considerations 2D Parti Diagram Architectural context

Axis

Massing

Hubs

Nodes

Paths

3D Parti Diagram

N Site map

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Space Plans 4.

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First floor plan - Patient and Family Services NTS

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1. Covered entry and vestibule 2. Welcome desk and vertical circulation 3. Family gym and changing rooms 4. Gym bathrooms 5. Family wellness rooms 6. Bathrooms 7. Work lounge 8. Cafeteria 9. Serving kitchen 10. Nurse’s station, laundry, and storage 11. Patient rooms 12. Storage and utility room 13. Service elevators

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1. Reception and waiting area 2. Bathrooms 3. Technician station 4. Movement therapy 5. Art therapy 6. Art therapy 7. Social therapy 8. Service elevators 9. Workshop/training/classroom space 10. Consult/counseling offices 11. Walking practice track

Stair 233 233

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201 Stair 201

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Second floor plan - Play Therapy NTS

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1. Reception and waiting area 2. Bathrooms 3. Faculty sky-walk 4. Staff lockers and chart room 5. Exam rooms 6. Technician station 7. Ultrasound 8. Lab 9. CT theatre 10. Radiography 11. Surgery Technician station 12. Pre-op bay 13. Bathrooms 14. Operating theatre 15. Changing room, shower, and soiled laundry room 16. Post-op bay 17. Service elevators 18. Break room 19. Doctor’s offices 20. Staff wellness rooms and lounge

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Third floor plan - Medical Treatment NTS

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Design

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This design relies heavily on the project goals and objectives to guide the experience of the user. From fixtures and furniture, to color theory and application, to spatial arrangements, the design choices look to the project goals to create a cohesive and usercentered experience. By creating a space that is inspired by the brain’s neural structure and informed by the users’ wellbeing, patients, families, and employees are given a building that seeks in every way to care for and uplift them during their time in this place.

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Orient patient spaces for a family-centered care medical practice model

Include amenity support spaces to maintain daily family routines

Family routines

Cafeteria Family Table

Process diagram

Research shows that allowing for families to maintain daily routines is key for family wellbeing during the hospital stay, Haworth Openest Chick Pouf

something that greatly

Davis Furniture Tavo Table

affects the patient. In response, the family unit is emphasized around the facility, including the dining space, where lighting, massing, and finishes highlight a universally designed family table that allows for diners to use the seats or fold them over and roll up a wheelchair up. Other spaces are dedicated to important personal routines, such Fitness Center

as the family fitness center on the first floor.

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Ensure all patient rooms have sleeping space for two guests

Steelcase Health Surround Sleeper Sofa

Steelcase Health Empath Recliner

Patient room

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Create employee spaces centered around workplace wellbeing

Use WELL v2 principles to inform employee space standards

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3rd floor staff wing

#10

#7 DN

#4

WELL v2 category highlights Promote visual, mental and biological health through lighting

#4

In all community and private staff areas, a minimum of one wall has a view to the outside lighting conditions, allowing for circadian rhythm regulation via lighting changes throughout the day.

Light

#7

Bolster occupant health and well-being through acoustical comfort Staff wellness spaces are located at the distant end of a corridor, dampening the acoustical impact of noisy disruptions coming from other areas in the suite.

Sound

#10 Community

Build a culture of health that accommodates diverse population needs In addition to private work spaces, the staff wing includes an open lounge and a working break room that allows for gathering and employee socialization.

Include wellness spaces dedicated to respite and breaks from work

Wellness rooms To combat the overwhelming rates of burnout amongst healthcare workers, this facility has specific wellness rooms reserved for employees who need a moment away to breathe, focus, cry, or recharge.

Layout 1

Bolia Grace Sofa

Steelcase Health Surround Sofa

Steelcase Campfire Big Lamp

Haworth Buzzi Blinds

Coalesse Circa Table

Teknion Zones Floor Lamp

West Elm Stump Side Table

Coalesse Joel Lounge Chair

Steelcase Health Regard Bench

Layout 2

Layout 3

Steelcase Campfire Skate Table

West Elm Green Point Low Shelf

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Use principles of biophilic design to inform building design

Encourage wellness through connections with nature

Connection with nature

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One of Singapore’s most well-known aspects is its integration of nature into the built landscape. Not only does it add life and beauty, but studies show more positive outlooks towards healing and recovery when in regular contact with natural elements. Through setting, materiality, and site connection, biophilic principles have a significant impact on the user’s experience.

Work lounge

8 out of 14 possible biophilic elements implemented in featured work lounge Visual connection with nature

Biomorphic forms and patterns

Prospect

Dynamic and Diffuse Light

Material connection with nature

Risk/Peril

Connection with natural systems

Complexity and order

Nature in the space

Natural Analogues

Nature of the space

Maintain all exterior views to central courtyard

Maximal daylighting To maximize daylight and provide a restorative connection with nature, this medical center successfully keeps all of the exterior glazing in tact. In personal areas like patient rooms or restrooms, 3form’s EcoResin panel provides privacy and visual interest while still letting exterior light through.

3form Fully Framed Varia EcoResin Partition

Daylight in existing building

Example: On all three levels of the central atrium, all of the exterior glass remains unobstructed.

Further, skylights bring light into the space vertically while the frosted glass sky-walk wall provides visual privacy while still bringing light through the space.

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Integrate spaces to encourage children’s discovery and development through play

Create play spaces that address visual, tactile, auditory, and critical thinking skills

Waiting areas

Stair 233 233

3rd floor waiting room Social, tactile, and visual development

With some children unable to follow standard developmental paths, play is becoming an increasingly sought after tool on the route to discovery and development. Throughout the facility, play spaces are integrated into functional areas to provide children with enriching experiences through visual, tactile, and social stimulation. These spaces include the second and third floor waiting rooms (pictured above) and the entire second floor, which is dedicated wholly to play therapy.

Stair 233

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Play therapy floor Stair 233 233

201 Stair Stair 233 233

Climbing and play equipment Movement and spatial development

201 Stair 201

Second floor

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Walking track Mobility development

Art rooms Social and creative development

Develop a positive sense of place with the local and hospital community

Include signage with positive and welcoming presence in lobby that contributes to hospital brand Essential to the sense of community shared by those at this center, the building tells a story of place. Achieved through branding, which references the ethos of the care center and lucky colors in Singapore, and notable landmarks in the space, all users can share an understanding of what it means to be here in this place.

Welcome desk

Branding Package Colors:

Font: Commuter Sans ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz 1234567890 `~!@#$%^&*()-+=?/;:’”<>,.

Mantra:

Where the heart is willing it will find a thousand ways - Dayak proverb

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Develop a positive sense of place with the local and hospital community

Create landmarks that all space users can identify and reference

DN Stair

Lobby and atrium 233

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The main guiding principle of the building are primary and secondary hubs that are easily findable on each floor. The main hub is a grand stair and atrium that unifies all three floors. The secondary hubs are specific to each floor and consist of the cafeteria, the main play structure, and the technicians’ station.

Primary

Secondary

Hubs

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First floor

Second floor

Third floor

Cafeteria

Main play equipment

Technician’s station

Characterize the finishes to have symbolic significance to Singapore

Thematic use of meaningful colors B

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1st floor

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2nd floor

3rd floor

Singapore is home to a blend of cultures and religious traditions, with nearly 81.5% of citizens practicing some sort of religion. In the most common religions in Singapore (including Buddhism, Taoism, and Hinduism), these hues symbolize a range of positive connotations, such as luck, joy, happiness, good health, and plenitude. This center capitalizes on the opportunity to use this color by incorporating them into this youthful, pediatric space where bright hues are more appropriate than other types of interior environments.

References to nature and Asian motifs Other finishes, such as this patient room palette, reference motifs from Asian culture in more subtle ways, such as the red line work on the wall covering, the bamboo in bathroom privacy panels, and the nature-focused garden mural on the window privacy film.

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A - Carpet - Milliken Live Circuit Current Infused B - Accent carpet - Milliken Live Circuit Current Solid C - Resilient floor tile - Forbo Marmoleum Marbled D - Accent paint - Sherwin Williams E - Wall covering - Carnegie Xorel Silhouette Embroider

F - Ambient Paint - Sherwin Williams Ice Cube G - Bathroom wall tile - Bedrosians Wave Deco ceramic tile H - Privacy wall panel - 3form Varia EcoResin Thatch inlay I - Window Film - Gravity Digital Walls Imperial Garden film J - Resilient floor tile - Forbo Marmoleum Marbled

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For digital access, please visit https://issuu. com/ehilt/docs/hiltemma_2022thesisbook_ pediatricneurology For the first volume of my current thesis, please visit https://issuu.com/ehilt/ docs/hiltemma_2021programmingbook_ pediatricneurology To contact me, obtain my resume, or for any other connections, please email ehilt@vt.edu.

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