Tuning Architecture for Healing
What if interactive architecture could do more than just react to its occupants? What if architecture was based on rules that could promote designated functions? In this light, architecture would be motivational and goal-oriented. Hospitals; for instance, would actually help patients to heal — instead of being cold and sterile, like so many hospitals we find today.
Adaptable architecture could help occupants have better experiences within buildings. For instance, within hospitals a rule-based architecture could help patients to do the following:
understand their treatment
reduce stress
decrease pain
engage in healing behavior
Hospital rooms could tailor their interactions toward certain illnesses, recovery and patient types. In addition, adaptive architecture could help the medical staff do a better job, making less medical errors. Of course, patient control and choice is important — and adaptive architecture should make provisions for both as it promotes functions within.
