I’ve been fortunate to work at aesthetically beautiful hospitals for my entire career. It’s important to understand that beautifully-designed hospital spaces do have a positive impact on healing, from allowing in natural light, to the construction of healing gardens for patients and visitors, as well as in the creation of innovative designs to ensure patient privacy and dignity.

Equally impressive is how these beautifully-designed hospital spaces also support the emotional wellness and unity among employees, often fostering a culture of collective community engagement. Indeed, “neuroaesthetics” is a field of study that examines the psychological effects of how the brain responds to art, music, or in this instance, the incorporation of beauty into the design of buildings and workspaces.

Healthcare facilities are among the most expensive buildings to construct, maintain, and operate. Once built, hospital buildings remain in service for decades and are often difficult to modify. Thankfully, the modern design approach is “patient-centered,” often seeking physician, nursing staff, and patient input, thus aligning evidence-based hospital design with evidence-based clinical medicine.