The following thesis focuses on the function of façade design in influencing patient comfort in hospital settings, and is specifically addressed to the integration of visual, glare, and non-visual properties of daylight. The research is developed on the basis of an understanding that natural light, beyond its perceived quality, has an intrinsic biological effect on circadian control, mood, and overall health, and is therefore a critical design parameter in healthcare facilities. The research strategy was outlined in two stages. The first was a parametric study using the shoebox model, with three architectural parameters, room typology, window-to-wall ratio, and shading system, being combined systematically to generate twenty-seven configurations. These were simulated dynamically to determine thirteen daylight metrics; focuses on visual, glare and non-visual parameters. The comparative study revealed consistent trade-offs: higher glazing ratios enhanced daylight provision and non-visual stimulation but also increased the risk of glare, while shading systems effectively minimized discomfort at the expense of daylight penetration. From this point, eleven rules were defined based on the performance analysed. These were used to inform subsequent stages of design and choice. The second phase applied this rule-based strategy to a real-life case study: the planning of a Philadelphia hospital. Varied tower shapes (so-called Pinwheel, Bowtie, Diagonal Bar) and room layouts (identified as Traditional and Modified Tada) were screened against regulatory codes, hospital functional needs, and rules developed from the shoebox analysis. Results confirmed the prevalence of single patient rooms as the most reliable typology in ensuring luminous comfort and highlighted the influence of tower geometry on daylight distribution over façades. While external louvres were the best to balance daylight and glare, issues regarding operation made the use of roller shades as a more pragmatic solution. The findings of this study point out that façade-based lighting performance cannot be limited to issues of energy efficiency but must be considered a clinical imperative during the planning, especially of healthcare settings. The approach presented shows how quantitative data can be integrated at an early stage of planning for patient rooms to such an extent that they achieve visual quality as well as biologically meaningful exposure to daylight, thereby assisting patient well-being and healing.
La strategia di ricerca è stata articolata in due fasi. La prima è stata uno studio parametrico basato su un modello “shoebox”, in cui tre parametri architettonici – tipologia di stanza, rapporto finestra/parete e sistema di schermatura – sono stati combinati sistematicamente per generare ventisette configurazioni. Queste sono state simulate dinamicamente per determinare tredici metriche riguardanti la luce naturale, con un focus sui parametri visivi, di abbagliamento e non-visivi. Lo studio comparativo ha rivelato compromessi costanti: rapporti di vetratura più alti aumentavano l’apporto di luce naturale e la stimolazione non-visiva, ma incrementavano anche il rischio di abbagliamento, mentre i sistemi di schermatura riducevano efficacemente il disagio a scapito però della penetrazione della luce diurna. A partire da ciò, sono state definite undici regole basate sulle prestazioni analizzate, utilizzate per informare le fasi successive di progettazione e scelta. La seconda fase ha applicato questa strategia basata su regole a un caso studio reale: la progettazione di un ospedale a Philadelphia. Diverse forme della torre (i cosiddetti Pinwheel, Bowtie, Diagonal Bar) e layout delle stanze (identificati come Traditional e Modified Tada) sono stati valutati rispetto alle normative vigenti, alle esigenze funzionali ospedaliere e alle regole sviluppate dall’analisi “shoebox”. I risultati hanno confermato la prevalenza delle stanze singole come tipologia più affidabile per garantire il comfort luminoso e hanno evidenziato l’influenza della geometria della torre sulla distribuzione della luce naturale sulle facciate. Sebbene le lamelle esterne si siano dimostrate le più efficaci nel bilanciare luce diurna e abbagliamento, problematiche legate al funzionamento hanno reso l’uso delle tende a rullo una soluzione più pragmatica. I risultati di questo studio sottolineano che le prestazioni illuminotecniche legate alla facciata non possono essere limitate a questioni di efficienza energetica, ma devono essere considerate un imperativo clinico nella pianificazione, soprattutto in ambito sanitario. L’approccio presentato mostra come i dati quantitativi possano essere integrati già nelle prime fasi di progettazione delle stanze di degenza, al fine di garantire non solo qualità visiva ma anche un’esposizione biologicamente significativa alla luce naturale, contribuendo così al benessere e al processo di guarigione del paziente.
Designing with light: a methodological framework for patient room comfort in hospitals
Vivar Castillo Valdiviezo, Raul
2024/2025
Abstract
The following thesis focuses on the function of façade design in influencing patient comfort in hospital settings, and is specifically addressed to the integration of visual, glare, and non-visual properties of daylight. The research is developed on the basis of an understanding that natural light, beyond its perceived quality, has an intrinsic biological effect on circadian control, mood, and overall health, and is therefore a critical design parameter in healthcare facilities. The research strategy was outlined in two stages. The first was a parametric study using the shoebox model, with three architectural parameters, room typology, window-to-wall ratio, and shading system, being combined systematically to generate twenty-seven configurations. These were simulated dynamically to determine thirteen daylight metrics; focuses on visual, glare and non-visual parameters. The comparative study revealed consistent trade-offs: higher glazing ratios enhanced daylight provision and non-visual stimulation but also increased the risk of glare, while shading systems effectively minimized discomfort at the expense of daylight penetration. From this point, eleven rules were defined based on the performance analysed. These were used to inform subsequent stages of design and choice. The second phase applied this rule-based strategy to a real-life case study: the planning of a Philadelphia hospital. Varied tower shapes (so-called Pinwheel, Bowtie, Diagonal Bar) and room layouts (identified as Traditional and Modified Tada) were screened against regulatory codes, hospital functional needs, and rules developed from the shoebox analysis. Results confirmed the prevalence of single patient rooms as the most reliable typology in ensuring luminous comfort and highlighted the influence of tower geometry on daylight distribution over façades. While external louvres were the best to balance daylight and glare, issues regarding operation made the use of roller shades as a more pragmatic solution. The findings of this study point out that façade-based lighting performance cannot be limited to issues of energy efficiency but must be considered a clinical imperative during the planning, especially of healthcare settings. The approach presented shows how quantitative data can be integrated at an early stage of planning for patient rooms to such an extent that they achieve visual quality as well as biologically meaningful exposure to daylight, thereby assisting patient well-being and healing.| File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/10589/243575