Abstract
As interests towards health rapidly increase recently, interests and demand for hospital interior space are increasing as well. Therefore, most of today's hospitals that have been functionally designed are transforming into healing environments that consider psychological aspects, in order to assist patients forget about fear, desperation and have peace of mind. With such creation method of healing environment, natural elements can be applied to spaces in order to allow patients feel vitality, hope and adapt positive thinking, and these can eventually lead to affluent fusion of humans, nature and space. Through case analyses of how natural elements are applied to hospital's interior space, this study understands its characteristics. According to the findings, nature is largely classified into light, water, plant, stone/soil, and its application methods can be classified into center, transition, continuity, division, opening and closure. As evident from case analyses, application of natural elements to hospital's interior space promotes exchanges among patients through community formation, and achieves the effect of spatial concentration and public place. Also, ambiguity of exterior and interior boundary creates a sense of expansion and continuous effect, and can also provide a healing environment that can fully absorb natural environment open to patients. This study aims to be of service when designing hospital's interior space, with its natural element application method for healing environment research, and wishes for continuous studies on healing environments with more diverse methods.
