You can watch the sixteenth Parlour LAB here!
The last few years around the world, and particularly in the health sector, have clearly outlined how important our health systems are, and that resilience is found by building care across all scales, from the individual and family, to community, institution and state. The Australian healthcare system is beginning to recognise that changes to traditional delivery mechanisms will be necessary to be more responsive to patient demand for care, as well as to retain staff, train new staff and be responsive to climate change. So what is the role of designers and built environment practitioners in delivering infrastructures and places of care?
Professor Julie Bernhardt, Director of the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Stroke Rehabilitation and Recovery, reminded us how important it is to have the right voices heard before projects begin. Designers can advocate for time to consult with the people who will use the spaces they design! There are significant opportunities to collaborate with researchers if consultation and engagement is not part of the project brief or difficult to fund. She also reminded us not to assume that single rooms are preferred for everyone!
Dr Rhonda Kerr, health economist and health facilities planner, explained that empathy is important at every stage of the project. The users, patients and cultural setting of the project are critical and must be included in the design. Ultimately, both researchers agreed, it is critical to establish core principles for the project at the outset and check in with them across the project lifespan. This has the added benefit of providing project continuity when there are staff changes over the lifespan of long projects.
