What question did this study set out to answer?

To explore how hospital public spaces can be reinterpreted as ecological systems enhancing healing through design.

March 8, 2026

Ecological Systems of Hospital Public Spaces: An Integrated Perspective on Healing Environment Theory and Biomimicry - Focused on Proposals from the National Medical Center International Design Competition -

Key Points

To explore how hospital public spaces can be reinterpreted as ecological systems enhancing healing through design.
Three-step mixed-methods approach applied to five design proposals from a competition.
Qualitative analysis of biomimetic strategies influencing spatial organization and environmental factors.
Quantitative measurement of 18 indicators normalized into a Comprehensive Healing Index to assess performance.
Biomimetic designs significantly improved ecological and psychological healing, as shown by higher CHI values.
Key design features included optimized daylight access, effective air circulation, and integrated ecological systems.

Abstract

Purpose: This study reinterprets hospital public spaces—specifically atria, courtyards, and roof gardens—as ecological healing systems in which human, environmental, and technological factors interact dynamically. By integrating Healing Environment Theory with Biomimicry Theory, the study investigates how spatial, environmental, and ecological parameters enhance restorative capacity in contemporary medical facilities. Five winning proposals from the 2022 National Medical Center International Design Competition were selected as empirical cases to examine how public spaces function as healing infrastructures. Method: A three-step mixed-methods approach was employed. First, five analytical dimensions were established to evaluate ecological and healing performance: Lighting and Openness (LEF), Ventilation and Breathability (AVR), Water–Ecology Integration (EFI), Connectivity and Circulation (CCF), and Atmosphere and Sense of Place (ATF). Second, qualitative analysis examined spatial organization and biomimetic strategies, including natural-light modulation, airflow formation, water–vegetation systems, and multi-layered spatial connectivity. Third, quantitative analysis measured 18 detailed indicators, normalized them on a five-point scale, and synthesized them into a Comprehensive Healing Index (CHI) to assess integrated environmental, spatial, and sensory performance. Results: The results confirm that biomimetic design principles substantially improve both ecological and psychological healing outcomes. Designs characterized by optimized daylight access, effective air circulation, integrated hydrological-ecological systems, and strong biophilic connectivity achieved higher CHI values. These findings demonstrate that the integration of natural processes into spatial and environmental systems is a decisive factor in enhancing the restorative performance of hospital public spaces.

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