Insights
Dec 4, 2023 _ insights
The Framework to Benchmark Clinical & Public Space Design
At this year’s Healthcare Design Conference + Expo (HCD Conference) I was invited to participate in a roundtable discussion with fellow colleagues from the American Institute of Architects/Academy of Architecture for Health (AIA AAH) Research Initiatives Committee about our ongoing benchmarking efforts. This interactive dialogue covered design metrics of clinics and acute care hospitals within the AIA AAH Case Study Library. We aim to develop a consistent and formatted process to conduct takeoff analyses and metrics studies, such as using Net Square Feet (NSF), Department Gross Square Feet (DGSF), and Department Gross Square Feet per Key Patient Care Room (DGF/Key Room), multiplier factors, and travel distances metrics for three clinic typologies: onstage/offstage, shared circulation, and linear. Our panel shared insights on this year’s research into quantifying circulation spaces and waiting area dimensions. We also envisioned a series of qualitative criteria such as wayfinding indicators, estimating occupants’ spatial experience, and degrees of enclosure for privacy/socialization for future studies.
The AIA AAH Case Study Library functions as a repository of exemplary healthcare design practices. It has been employed by academic programs and industry professionals as a valuable resource for learning, case comparisons, and benchmarking their work. Our Roundtable discussion at the conference received engaging participation from a wide range of audiences. The Research Initiatives Committee gathered valuable feedback on metric definitions, refining protocols, and outlining future steps to establish an industry standard.
View our presentation here.
Shan Jiang, PH.D., International ASLA is GBBN’s Director of Research. An established researcher, educator, and thought leader, she has published dozens of articles in peer-reviewed journals, presented at conferences, and recently published a full monograph with Routledge on therapeutic landscapes, healthcare design, and sustainable community development. At GBBN, Shan leads firm-wide research efforts, helping design teams in all markets conduct research while drawing on the best, established research to inform their work.
