Senior Thesis Journal Part II: Schematic Design
- Taylor A. Pollesch
- Mar 12, 2018
- 4 min read
SCHEMATIC DESIGN--is the phase after research and programming. The goal of the schematic design phase is to develop the basic design concept, space plan to meet the programmatic needs, and begin brainstorming about design elements and materials. It is personally one of my favorite phases of the design process because it is like a puzzle trying to create a cohesive space that incorporates the research you have just done and meets all the projects space requirements.
My programmatic concept statement, which guided me through this phase, was...
"The Family Birthing Center in the Maple Grove Women's hospital will attract growing families throughout the greater Minneapolis-Saint Paul area. The design will promote a more natural birthing process where patients will feel comfortable and safe. The client wishes to have a space that feels more like a hotel than a hospital."
The first step in this process was to analyze the project requirements and review the ideal adjacency I had developed during the research/programming phase. The following are two approaches to visually communicated adjacency. The first is an adjacency matrix and the second is an adjacency diagram.
These diagrams were used as a tool to help me during the space planning process. Additionally, I set 5 functional goals to incorporate into this project.
Minimize employee travel distance by locating multiple nurses huddle stations and keeping medical equipment readily available in each room.
Keep the employee break room, rest room, and lock room adjacent to each other.
Provide natural light for the employees and visitors.
Design a custom solution to hide the birthing cart within the patient room.
Give the patients privacy by separating the visitors area from the patient areas.
Throughout my schooling I have begun to realize how important it is to do hundreds of ideations before settling on your final solution. It is very rare that your first idea is your best idea. I often begin my brainstorming process doing bubble diagrams on trace paper. (They aren't pretty but they help identify key problem areas and lead to innovative solutions).
Finding the correct location for an entry was the key to creating a floor plan that was practical. Without a strategic entry point the entire space felt unorganized and uncomfortable. It was very important to me to create a space that was intuitive for patients to navigate and efficient for staff to work. I also felt that it was important to have a 'race track' layout to the facility. By creating a track-like circulation pattern patients may feel more welcomed to wander the halls during the laboring process rather than staying cooped up in their room. I wanted the patients to feel as though they could use the entire facility. Because of this I thought it was also very important to separate the public waiting area from the patient areas so that the laboring woman still have a sense of privacy and security. After hours of ideation this was my first initial floor plan.
The blue is patient areas: LDRP rooms, triage/exam rooms, nursery, waiting rooms, and amenities. The pink is the employee areas: Nurses station, offices, break rooms, and locker rooms. The green is the operation room and the yellow is storage. Overall, I was liking how this floor plan had turned out. In the center of the corridors were the employee areas and in between every two rooms was a nurses charting station and a linen closet (which doubles as a privacy screen to block sight lines into the patient rooms). However, I wanted the space to feel more feminine, as well as, give employees more access to natural light.
After our in-class critique some of the areas I am going to look further into improving are: storage, sight lines, and the waiting area. After space planning the visual designing begins. This phase includes selecting a material palette and creating design elements throughout the space. I also set 5 aesthetic goals for my project.
Use curved architectural features to suggest the femininity of the space.
Create a color palette that feels calming and mature.
Use purposeful lighting to make patient rooms feel more like a hotel than a hospital.
Use the waiting room to make a bold first impression.
Design the corridors to feel more like a public space/art gallery than a regular hospital corridor
I admit pulling a material palette has been one of the most challenging aspects of this project so far. In healthcare, it is important to specify materials that are durable and cleanable. Because of this vinyls/polyurethanes/silicone are often used for upholstery, as well as, fabrics with stain resistant finishes. Other considerations are finding materials that are non-porous or naturally anti-microbial. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that both copper and cork have anti-microbial properties and I hope to incorporate them into my project. I am just in the beginning phases of the material palette, but here is what I have so far. (Comment and let me know what you think).
The next phase of my thesis project will be Design Development. In this phase I will finalize a floor plan, specify specific furniture and materials, and begin construction documentation. Additionally, I will set 5 sustainability goals for my projects, this will involve doing some more research. During this next phase I also hope to design some custom architectural elements within my space and begin to address signage.
Please reach out with any questions, comments, or suggestions! I'd love to hear them.
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