Towards De-Institutionlising Healthcare Spaces in Malaysian Public Hospitals
Norwina Mohd Nawawi
International Islamic University
Malaysia
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Healthcare facilities are provided for people who need healthcare attention to assist them in attaining a normal life day to day, as envisaged by the World Health Organisation.
Different geographical regions, climates and cultures perceive health and healthiness from a different perspective from the world consensus. Many ‘modern’ facilities are built without direct public participation whilst few scheduled post occupancy evaluations on the real needs of patients are performed before the next project is in the pipeline.
Top down or bottom up proposals seldom involve the people on the street that ultimately use the facilities in great numbers. Although architecture, spaces, buildings are unable to either heal the sick or avoid death, planners and designers have an opportunity to find the essence that could fill up the gap as pacifier, as comforting arm, upon which the people can be consoled and find peace and wellbeing.
Upon embarking on the people’s hospital project in the East Coast of peninsular Malaysia, a short study aimed at providing people with a place of solace upon visiting the sick or seeking treatment themselves is planned to facilitate the proposed design of an ambulatory care of Sultanah Zainab Hospital, Kota Bahru.
The study will include random interviews based on a structured questionnaire aimed at different target groups from villagers to statesmen of different genders and age groups, in addition to general observations and a literature review of the hospital’s history. The study is to gauge the peoples’ perception of positive spaces and attributes in a hospital.
The findings will be used as general feedback towards enriching the clinical brief for a more responsive design for people of that locality. As Malaysia strives to become a developed nation state in 2020, the cultural values that keep people happy and satisfied in life should be in keeping with economic development.
Keywords: People, Culture, Healthcare
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