Design Brief | 2nd Year, 4th Semester 2021-2022

TRIBAL HEALTH CARE & COMMUNITY CENTER

Subject Co-ordinator: Ar. Aisha Siddiqui, Ar. Anupama Bagal, Ar. Sourasis Barman

Background:
Health Care Center:
Community health centers are a key component of our health care system, providing essential access
to comprehensive primary care in underserved communities. The health center program has
experienced significant growth over time. The Rural Health Clinic (RHC) program is intended to increase
access to primary care services for patients in rural communities. RHCs can be public, non-profit, or
for-profit healthcare facilities. To receive certification, they must be located in rural, underserved areas.
They are required to use a team approach of physicians working with non-physician providers such as
nurse practitioners (NP), physician assistants (PA), and certified nurse midwives (CNM) to provide
services. The clinic must be staffed at least 50% of the time with an NP, PA, or CNM (requirement
waived during COVID-19 public health emergency). RHCs are required to provide outpatient primary
care services and basic laboratory services.

Good hospital design integrates functional requirements with the human needs of its varied users.
This need for diverse functions is reflected in the breadth and specificity of regulations, codes, and
oversight that govern hospital construction and operations. Hospital design is also influenced by site
restraints and opportunities, climate, surrounding facilities, budget, and available technology. All
hospitals should have certain common attributes, regardless of their location, size or budget.

Healthcare environments continue to grow in complexity. Today’s perfect hospital design addresses
many functions for a variety of users, including patients, families, staff, and c-suite. And while patients
and their families are the primary focus for many healthcare institutions, even a list that focuses on
patient-centered design is extensive. Despite the complexity, there are design elements that have the
power to positively affect multiple populations within a health center.

 Good campus planning and architecture allows the layout of streets, building approach and
building entries to serve as wayfinding devices. Trying to read signs while driving is nerve-
wracking. Vehicular access and approach roads should be designed to be intuitive and clear to
alleviate stress on the commute. In addition, choices in scale, lighting and materiality for the
main entry to the hospital, parking structures, and medical office buildings put patients and their
families on the quickest path to the front door. Locating vertical circulation towers and major
public spaces near main entries serves as a beacon for those arriving at night, signalling to
patients and families where to go with clearly illuminated entrances.

 Good hospital design should reflect both the region and the visual and cultural ethos of the
institution. Today, many institutions reference elements of hospitality design when discussing
their vision for new buildings. This includes covered drop-offs with valet parking, open and
transparent lobbies and public spaces, and warm, natural materials that evoke a sense of
comfort. Concierge and check-in services are becoming more common. Art and sound play a
key role in creating a calming and welcoming aesthetic and providing positive distractions upon
arrival.
 There is no better way to feel that you are being taken care of – pampered even – than by
eliminating all worry of arrival, drop-off and parking. Free valet services reduce stress of finding
a space, paying and returning to your car. An expanded vehicular drop-off and pick-up area
accommodates these services. It is also adaptable for ride-share and a potential autonomous
car revolution. With more patients and visitors utilizing alternative arrival methods, this drop-off
sequence will become more important than ever before as parking garages shrink or are
converted to other hospital functions.

 When architecture, medical planning, interior design and environmental graphics harmoniously
blend, a first-time visitor can walk through a space without the aid or “you are here” maps.
Aligning the patient journey with key architecture and interior elements alleviates the need for
excessive signage, which can become distracting. Less signage also means more room for
design that creates joy and delight. For example, bold colours or visually distinct changes at
elevator banks pull people toward them. Using the concourse concept or promenade to connect
departments together is a way to intuitively organize wayfinding.

 The same holds true for check in desks and waiting areas – use the spaces and their visual
identities to intuitively help patients navigate. The waiting room is one of the most stressful parts
of a visit so make it an amazing place to be: provide expansive views, windows for daylight, art
and beautiful, comfortable furniture. Locating waiting areas along the perimeter is an effective
way to promote wayfinding and mitigate patient and family stress.

 Patients and staff benefit from a well-designed space. While it is tempting to focus only on
lobbies and waiting areas, clinical areas need just as much attention. Imaging suites, procedure
rooms where patients are conscious, and blood-draw stations benefit from natural daylight and
positive distractions in art, material palette and views. These areas are critical in creating a
calming and healing environment.

 Today, many healthcare institutions take cues from Disney’s onstage/offstage concept, where
impeccable service appears to happen seamlessly. When designing a new hospital, it isn’t just
about separating experience areas from service areas but designing a circulation and planning
diagram that allows the separation of goods and services from patients and their families, both
vertically and horizontally. There are varying degrees to this separation and many influential
criteria. For example, adding service and patient transport elevators centered in the patient
wing instead of at the end of the units decreases the amount of crossover between patients
and services.

 Healing happens inside hospitals and the building itself should participate in that healing
process. Designing with Red List-free materials, providing clean and filtered air, and offering
access to outside experiences with operable windows or terraces in places where immune
systems are not compromised are all strategies for healthier buildings. Looking beyond patients
to a healthier planet, excess heat, rain and wind should be captured and stored for use. Since
hospitals are mission critical facilities and need to remain open and accessible after events like
wildfires, tornados and earthquakes the perfect hospital is a standalone, net zero, resilient
structure.

 Personalization goes a long way in creating a comforting experience. It also helps patients and
their families have a better visit – potentially leading to better outcomes. Just think of all the
different ways for patients to customize their experience: change room colour or lighting; pick
from a group, semi-private or private room for infusion or dialysis treatment; customize
overhead music or artwork; select from city or river views. When patients are offered choice it
provides a feeling of control over their visit and their care.
  Finally, consider how to give a dignified exit for patients who are leaving the hospital, but still
require assistance. Provide a comfortable and private discharge route that does not go through
the main hospital doors for those using crutches or a wheelchair for the first time or recovering
from a day procedure. This not only provides the departing patient a more dignified departure
but can calm nerves for new patients entering the hospital.

Community Center:
It is a common sight to see community centers in use in various parts of the world. They have fulfilled
a variety of roles in many communities for a number of years. The project’s focus is on the design of
community center for a rural town. The main research question in this research asks, “What type of
community center does this area need?” The sub questions also help to establish the kind of community
center that is needed and wanted.

A review of current literature shows no specific way to build a community center or what to include.
However there were useful insights gained through the research of others on helpful methods when
coming up with a community center plan. This is known as a responsive design approach. It takes into
account both the social environment and physical environment and their combined effect on the users.
This approach was used in the research design and methodology.

Three tools of inquiry established the data for this research project, including surveys, interviews, and
a chart created of current available meeting spaces. Four main themes emerged from the data and
helped to answer both the primary question and sub questions. The themes include: existing groups’
demographics, a review of current meeting places, needs and wants for current and future buildings,
and the local level of support. Each of these subject areas provides a complete framework in which to
base the type of community center that is both needed and wanted for this rural area.

Main question:
What type or community center does this area need?
Sub Questions:
Who would use this community center?
What would a community center be used for?
What amenities are needed in this community center?
Specific as possible. How do the current meeting spaces affect the learning, participation, and
activities?
Would a center be supported (both by use and financially) by the community?

Intent:
To study, understand and implement the determinants of space making for health care and community
center in rural context and their relevance in social fabric and built environment. The major emphasis
of this studio is to make possible the meeting of the variety of aspects to be considered for affordable
design while respecting the need of an individual with respect to residence. It aims to develop a
character inherent to the social backdrop and relevant to the programme specific culture.

Identification of the cultural factors of space making such as notion of privacy and territoriality, family
structure and hierarchy, gender roles, occupational associations. Traditional value and their continuity,
etc., interpretations of socio-cultural factors in the built form in terms of spatial organization, orientation,
open, semi-open and closed spaces correlation, scales and proportions etc., climate and topography,
local construction system and us of materials, bylaws etc.
 Design of various typologies such as dwelling-cluster and neighbourhood in a specific community and
context, relevant case studies and their analysis, literature review, exercises related to relevant or
appropriate construction systems and materials.

Aim:
To propose an architectural design solution for Tribal health care and community center
that satisfies an individual’s need of health and cultural awareness and that generates a
living environment satisfactory to the aspects of community living.
Objectives:
The studio exercise shall focus on designing a multi-functional, service (advanced services) oriented
buildings in a rural setting including application of rural development, controls, codes and bye-laws.
Emphasis may also be laid on site planning as well as on advanced services at building and at site
level. The focus would be on understanding how to design for an rural setting.

 To develop research skills for survey research and case study

 To understand functioning of community spaces in rural areas/semi urban
 To study principles of design, construction, and technology based on tradition and experience.
 To design spaces suitable for life style in rural/semi urban areas
 To conserve the natural surroundings and social fabric suitable for communities
 To design the buildings suitable to climatic conditions, by using local materials and traditional
methods of construction.
 To understand and provide specific infrastructure required for communities.

Major Design Stages:

Literature study:

To deal with the design of affordable housing, students are required to understand various aspects
listed below. A group study through literature on subject listed below will be conducted to build
confidence for design of such complex structure.

 Affordable / Low-cost design

 Terminologies related to health and community architecture
 Understanding health care design development norms and guidelines
 Resilient tribal communities and living culture
 Structural System
 Construction Technology
 Advanced building Material
 Advanced building services (Water, Sewage, Mechanical)
 Advanced building services (waste, fire, electrical and ICT
 Energy efficient, green buildings
 Landscape, façade treatment
 Parking and building automation
 Case study:

To understand how other qualified professionals have approached to the similar kind of designs of
national or international repute. There is need to visit the already built similar project and make a critical
appraisal for design criteria, application or violation of norms and standards at unit as well as block/site
levels, users’ satisfactions, merit and demerits, etc. analysis for cost of dwellings, saleability criteria,
anchoring factor, marketability, etc. Following would be the focus area that needs to be studied and
documented for further analysis.

1. Project Brief/ Background and design philosophy

2. Development norms

3. Interrelationship of spaces
a) For the overall site layout

4. Site Layout
5. Unit Design and their combinations
6. Different Services
7. Specifications

8. Circulation
a) Vehicular
b) Pedestrian/ people

9. Building Services
a) Water supply
b) Sewage
c) Solid waste
d) Fire
e) Electrical
f) Mechanical

10. Climatic considerations (if any)

11. Structural System
12. Construction Technology & Advanced building Material
13. Any specific considerations like green buildings, barrier free etc
14. Landscaping and open spaces
15. Façade treatment/ Elevations
16. Project Cost / affordability / typology of housing/ areas of units’ vs cost etc.
17. Overall inferences / merits and demerits
18. Area programming (summarized sheets for area finalization)
19. Comparative analysis and Inferences from the Case study

Contents for Case Study Analysis and presentation

 Project brief and background
 Explaining design philosophy for site layout as well as building designs (Critical review)
 Critics on Site services details and functioning
 Detailed analysis of site with Byelaws and Calculations with Inferences
 Project costing, affordability, income-based housing typology
 User feedbacks, satisfaction levels.
 Overall Merits and demerits

Note: Till case study students will work in groups but, further work will be at individual level.
All the student of particular group will prepare their own concept designs and analysis.

Site Selection:
 Site Study and Analysis:

The students may conduct study of selected site in relation to the physical attributes of the site and
surroundings, data collection. Following aspects of site listed below would be covered during site study
and presentation will be done by the student. For Physical understanding of the site, students will be
visiting the site in groups.

Following would be the focus area that needs to be studied and documented for further analysis.
1. Introduction of site
2. Location of Site
3. Site Geometrics i.e. shape and size
4. Development Norms (specific to site)
5. Site Context
6. Existing Site Conditions
7. Services and Existing Infrastructure
8. Site Synthesis (in terms of zoning plan)

Site Geometrics- Shape, size, soil types, topography, slope, vegetation, etc.

Site context- study of site surroundings, development pattern, building types, architectural style,
compositions, potential buyers, affordability range, etc.

Site services - Study and documentation of availability and condition of existing infrastructure and
services such as approach roads, water supply, sewage disposal, electricity, street light, solid waste
disposal, etc.

Amenities and facilities- Study and documentation of availability facilities and amenities around the
walk able distance to the site such as, commercial centres, primary health facilities, clinic, education
facilities, convenient shopping, etc.

Site feasibility- Land economics, circle rates, location and market value, property value in vicinity (per
Sq. m cost), type and cost of construction, cost of infrastructure, cost of built flats and duplexes, etc.

Legal aspects- Study of development norms and standards, zoning regulations applicable particularly
to the site, Norms for parking, road widening, provisions for informal sector, etc.

Objective of the site study would be to analyse the factors that may affect the site planning and building
designs. Student should present tentative site planning of their respective plot as outcome of the study.

Conceptual design:

Contents of Concept +Site & Unit Development

 Site layout development based on the Site analysis

 Orientation of blocks
 Sketch/ Conceptual design of different Units
 Infrastructure Planning
 Block model in suitable scale
 Sketches & Views
 Design Development & Finalization of Design (in appropriate scale)

 Based on the previous review the development of the design is required. The drawing required will be
the following:
 Site Plan in suitable scale
 Unit Plan with proper furniture Layout
 Double line Plan(s) of individual buildings with column layout
 Elevations -2 (minimum)
 Sections-2 (minimum) thru’ toilet and staircase
 Details of landscape or designs of non- residential building
 Views, detailed model and brochure of the project

Site detail and Services based drawing

 Site Plan with the all the built forms and open spaces.
 Site Plan showing the external services like parking, drainage, water supply, Sanitation, lighting and
electrical layout etc.
 At least two Elevation of complete site with the built forms.
 Services for the individual block required – floor wise
 Details (Minimum 2- important details of building and 1- landscaped Court detail)
 Views

Pre – Final Submission

Final Submission