Building healing spaces.

5 s I drove up to the entrance of a newly constructed hospital in Oregon recently, what struck me first was not so much the fact hat it looks like a luxurious five-star hotel it was designed in collaboration with a ospitality architect), but more so that it oes not evoke the feelings of anxiety and ear that you normally feel when you aproach a hospital. Let’s face it, for most of s, going to the hospital is rarely associted with positive feelings. Entering the wo-story atrium lobby lit by natural light nd the glowing fireplace makes one feel alm and somehow lifts your spirits. What ou notice immediately is that you don’t mell the normally ubiquitous fresh paint dor or whiffs of chemicals from the careting. Views from the private patient ooms overlook either the nearby winding iver or a rooftop garden. Well-chosen artork on the walls, sculpture, and carved nd colored glass panels for the chapel all end to creating a healing space. But beyond looking merely at the amience and aesthetics of the space to enance patient satisfaction and attract ustomers, the hospital’s architects, deigners, and administrators have systematcally studied and implemented the eleents of what is evidenced to create such healing space—one that reduces stress nd anxiety, promotes health and healing, nd importantly, improves patient and mployee safety and contributes to cost avings. So, how does the built environment imact healing? Why should hospitals and ealthcare organizations consider this in esigning their facilities? What is their reurn on investment for these initiatives? hese are questions that hospital execuives are asking themselves as they ponder he costs and benefits of incorporating enancements to the design and architecture hat contribute to the health and healing f patients and staff. The notion of a healing space dates ack to ancient Greece. Temples such as he sanctuary at Epidaurus were built for a