Wood materials aid in patient recovery in healthcare environments

The report, “Wood as a Restorative Material in Healthcare Environments,” by FP Innovations, a Canadian research organization, says that wood used as a building material in healthcare settings can have benefits for patients.

It examines the phenomenon of biophilia—or the effect of natural elements on human behavior—in healthcare buildings. The theory is that natural materials can have a positive impact on patient recovery by tapping into human’s affinity for life and life-like processes.

Specifically, the report links wood materials to improved results in:

Better patient recovery times
Lower pain perception
More positive disposition
Lower stress levels and a greater ability to focus for visitors and practitioners

The report adds that more use of wood in healthcare facilities enhances the mood of healthcare providers. Wood could be particularly beneficial in adding a biophilia effect to windowless rooms and areas.

During the second week of November, the architecture firm NBBJ launched a podcast series called Uplift, that focuses on the transformative power of design. Its first 30-minute episode homed in on designing for behavioral healthcare facilities, a hot topic given the increasing number of new construction and renovation projects in this subsector.

Taking the next step overview of decarbonization, net-zero energy goals

Sustainability | Mar 2, 2023

The next steps for a sustainable, decarbonized future

For building owners and developers, the push to net zero energy and carbon neutrality is no longer an academic discussion.

he northeast perspective rendering of the building named in honor of Henrietta Lacks. Credit: Vines Architecture

University Buildings | Feb 23, 2023

Johns Hopkins shares design for new medical campus building named in honor of Henrietta Lacks

In November, Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins Medicine shared the initial design plans for a campus building project named in honor of Henrietta Lacks, the Baltimore County woman whose cells have advanced medicine around the world. Diagnosed with cervical cancer, Lacks, an African-American mother of five, sought treatment at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in the early 1950s. Named HeLa cells, the cell line that began with Lacks has contributed to numerous medical breakthroughs.

MetroHealth System The Glick Center Cleveland Photo Nic Lehoux Architectural Photography, courtesy HGA

Healthcare Facilities | Feb 21, 2023

Cleveland's Glick Center hospital anchors neighborhood revitalization

The newly opened MetroHealth Glick Center in Cleveland, a replacement acute care hospital for MetroHealth, is the centerpiece of a neighborhood revitalization. The eleven-story structure is located within a ‘hospital-in-a-park’ setting that will provide a bucolic space to the community where public green space is lacking. It will connect patients, visitors, and staff to the emotional and physical benefits of nature.

Sawyer’s Walk in Miami’s Urban Core. Rendering: Courtesy Sawyer's Walk

Multifamily Housing | Feb 16, 2023

Coastal Construction Group establishes an attainable multifamily housing division

Coastal Construction Group, one of the largest privately held construction companies in the Southeast, has announced a new division within their multifamily sector that will focus on the need for attainable housing in South Florida.