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HEALING ARCHITECTURE.
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What are the psychological effects of architecture and built environment towards depression?
Architecture can heal depression. Architecture played as an important role for creating a healthy environment that are less stressful, enhancing satisfaction and increase the healing process of a depressed person as well as promoting a sense of well-being and better mental health. The role of architecture is as important as how a patient receive services or treatment for fighting their respective illness. In order to create an environment that will optimize a person's physical and mental health, first need to achieve the principles of healing architecture that impacts on human being (Marc, S., Laura, G. and Susan F., 2004, s-71&72).
There are several aspects of built environment that need to be considered on designing a health facility to provide positive impacts on human's mood, emotion and behaviour. The factors of healing environment are shown as below:
Figure.28
Figure.28
Privacy
More personal space increases the satisfactory of person in health facilities. The advantages such as avoiding conflicts with other people is reduced, more social space for friends and families, etc., are key factors of inheriting healing environment in health facilities (Marc, S., Laura, G. and Susan F., 2004, s-73).
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Figure.29
Sensory environment
The sensory environment has a powerful impact on a person mental health. The characteristics of sensory environment that could benefits the person included lighting, colours, views, aesthetic values, scent, the sense of space and proportion, sounds/noise, materials, circulation of space and outdoor landscapes (Marc, S., Laura, G. and Susan F., 2004, s-74).
Researches show that the quality of environment scent will make an impact on a person's mental and physical health. A distinct aroma can calm and relax a person down, therefore lower a person's blood pressure, regulates their heart beats and reducing pain-perception levels. On the other hand, unpleasant odors (bad smells like sweat) will trigger the emotions of fear, stress and anxiety (Marc, S., Laura, G. and Susan F., 2004, s-74).
Noise is an extremely negative aspect in built environment especially in health facilities. Sound or noise affects a person's sensory perception and slower down a person's recovery systems. Researches show that excessive amount of noise might causes sleep disturbance, and emotional unstable like irritability, anger, depress and stress. In contrary, the positive effects of sound like playing music or natural sounds may improve the patient's healing process, soothing their mind and improves their sleep qualities (Marc, S., Laura, G. and Susan F., 2004, s-74).
The temperature of surrounding environment has an effect on a person's health state. Sleep disruption may occur if the room temperature in a health facility is not comfortable like being too hot or too freezing (Marc, S., Laura, G. and Susan F., 2004, s-74).
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Figure.33
Air Ventilation
According to research, natural air and ventilation can improve indoor environment air quality and reduce indoor air pollution, as well as reducing health risks like eye and nose irritation, headaches nausea and many others. Operable windows create a sense of openness to the environment while ventilation allows fresh air flowing into indoor spaces (Marc, S., Laura, G. and Susan F., 2004, s-74&75).
Lighting Accessibility
Natural light has positive physically and mentally effects on a person. Based on the research, the effect of sunlight influences a person's well-being. Regular expose to sunlight lead to a more healthy skin due the absorption of vitamin D. On the other hand, lack of natural light has the possibilities of trigger a person's mental disorder, which is called Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) with symptoms of depression, stress and anxiety. A studied shows that brighter lighting and natural light exposure increase the healing process of a depressed person. Although if poorly control of intensity of lighting system can produce negative impacts such as eye fatigue, vision problems, trouble in concentrating and headaches (Marc, S., Laura, G. and Susan F., 2004, s-75).
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Figure.34
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Types of Colour
Colour is one of the factors that promote better well-being yet it is less expensive. Choosing the right colour can be beneficial in a particular situation for instance blue colour in A&E department of hospital appear to reduce the patient aggressive levels and different colours in the walls give a sense of direction to a person (Richard, M., R., S., 2005).
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Figure.37
Viewing Landscape
A good view to the nature or outdoor landscapes serve as an essential elements of a healthy buildings by boosting the mood, reduce perceiving of anxiety and stress level of a person. By doing that, the increases of windows in buildings are recommended for improving a person's mental health. In a study shows that patient in health facilities without window are more likely to develop depressed condition (Marc, S., Laura, G. and Susan F., 2004, s-75&76).
Figure.38
Figure.38
Outdoor
According to a study, a person with accessible and contact to natural environment or green area helps to improve their health performances and functioning (Marc, S., Laura, G. and Susan F., 2004, s-76).
