Bringing Natural Elements Closer to Patients, Family, and Caregivers

Stacked Sky Gardens:

Several new thoughtful design approaches have emerged in healthcare architectural and interior design. Each approach stems from Evidence Based Research and stands out both for it’s form and function.

Evidence Based Research has shown that exposure to daylight and nature accelerates patient’s  recovery time and increases productivity of physicians and caregivers. The following is a great example of such…

Taksim Hospital, located in a fast changing and growing neighborhood in Istanbul, Turkey will be  a 200,000-square-foot, 100-bed hospital when finished.  The designers of this hospital wanted to bring natural elements closer to patients, family, and caregivers.  The building incorporates exterior and interior garden spaces articulated as a series of multistory sky gardens.

The facility, along with its access and parking demands, required a solution that took advantage of the site’s steep topography and opportunities for below-grade construction.  The designers were focused on using evidence based research to design a facility that would bring natural elements closer to patients, family and caregivers despite it’s design challenges.

The result is a compact high-rise tower that’s vertically stacked and incorporates three stories of below-grade parking and mechanical spaces, two stories of diagnostic and treatment spaces, and a single story housing the lobby, public amenities, and support spaces.  An additional nine-story tower above includes outpatient clinics and inpatient beds.

The design concept evolved out of the desire to create a vibrant patient care environment within the urban setting as well as a desire to contribute to the “re-greening” of Istanbul. Like much of the city, the density of the built environment has increased, often at the expense of open green space. To bring natural elements closer to patients, family, and caregivers, the building incorporates exterior and interior garden spaces articulated as a series of multistory sky gardens.

Theses communal spaces are designed to maximize natural daylighting, provide access to nature, and become part of a larger sustainable strategy that incorporates natural ventilation and the pretreating of air for the mechanical systems. Energy modeling allowed the development of a holistic solution designed to optimize building performance and reduce energy consumption.

Unique indoor/outdoor spaces offer respite for patients, family, and caregivers and promote an environment of wellness through access to nature.

The project featured is being led by Forum Studio’s(Chicago) design principal Erik Andesen.

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