ABSTRACT
Large healthcare institutions are highly compartmentalized entities, with countless layers of functional requirements regulating their spatial attributes. Numerous support functions have been connected via a complicated network of internal and external circulation paths. As the facilities evolved through years of practices, the functional units and circulation spaces were shaped over time by the advanced medical technology and building techniques, resulting in maze-like environments and significant wayfinding issues in current large hospitals. Hospital wayfinding issues could lead to late arrivals or missed appointments, unpleasant navigational experiences, and stress and anxiety. Participants then entered the Survey phase, when they completed several questionnaires that measured their mood states, the level of attractiveness and atmosphere perceived by participants, and the level of presence in the IVE hospitals. Certain urban design strategies may contribute to an efficient wayfinding system in healthcare design. A controlled experiment was conducted on a total of 74 participants, with the survey and interview components integrated in the research design.
