Learning from COVID 19. A Comparison of Innovative Design Solutions for Human-Centered Healthcare Facilities.

The novel 2019 Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has revealed numerous challenges in coordinating and arranging hospital spaces at both national and international level. The overwhelming number of hospital admissions of people affected by COVID-19 has highlighted difficulties in managing, updating, and refurbishing healthcare spaces. The objective of this study is to provide meta-design indications that demonstrate the value of spatial design in containing pandemic health emergencies and improving quality for different healthcare users. Utilized research methods include a review of existing literature on the current state of the art, analysis of design solutions that emerged in response to past pandemics and comparison of existing planning tools on the subject. Additionally, given the contemporaneity of the issue, a cross-sectional survey was used to collect and compare the experiences and design strategies adopted by some selected Italian hospital. The results of the study highlight the most effective and recurrent solutions that have supported health action in the fight against COVID-19. Emphasis was placed on solutions with a human-centered approach, as well as those that seek to promote the physical and psychological well-being of all users involved. In conclusion, the resulting meta-design indications represent a starting point for developing detailed design solution to enhance pandemic readiness. Additional research is needed to support healthcare facilities in becoming more welcoming and efficient while improving COVID-19 patient care and protecting healthcare workers.