Biophilic Design as an Approach for Enhancing the Quality of the Views Out and Indoor Daylighting in Intensive Care Units

Abstract

The application of biophilic design metrics in healthcare buildings has positive impact on enhancing users’ health and their emotional wellbeing. Moreover, the thoughtful applications of these metrics can resolve the noticed division between human need and buildings performance. So, these metrics should be taken into consideration since the beginning of the design of intensive care units (ICUs). This thesis aims to enhance the quality of both the views-out and indoor daylighting in ICU patient rooms, through the biophilic design approach, which will consequently improve patient's health, sleep, and reduce his stress levels. In order to achieve this goal, two methods (deductive/ inductive) followed by two tools were used. The first tool was a theoretical study of; the biophilic design concept, its metrics and their design considerations, intensive care units (ICUs) design parameters and considerations, buildings that successfully incorporated biophilic patterns in their design, and the methods used for enhancing both the views-out, and indoor daylighting quality in patients’ rooms. As well as, methods used for enhancing ICUs medical process to promote user health and experience. This is in order to cover all the definitions, concepts, design considerations needed for the case study.