ABSTRACT
Patients reacted to the information, coded into the environment by designers and by the culture, as if it had been "written" only for them. Misinformation and accidental malformations in the settings created illusions which were very close to, and sometimes seemed to trigger, hallucinations. Each designer embraces his or her own hybrid theory of design regarding psychiatric facilities, but there are several approaches around which individuals have coalesced. They are anthroposophy, evidence-based design, generative design, Planetree, salutogenic design, and specialist versus generalist theories. Strategic planning and program considerations have been raised in the literature. Some of the broader considerations relate to physical, fiscal, and social sustainability. While Planetree addresses healthcare patient overall needs, the Institute for Patient-Centered Design focuses specifically on the physical environment. An effective relationship between mental health clinicians and designers is critical to the process of design: Effective collaboration between psychiatrists and architects is essential to avoid repetition of past errors.
