POST-PANDEMIC DESIGN
•Outpatients •Inpatients
•Family/ visitors
•Health workers
•Supply/ processing
General Hospital: Dr. Teodoro Álvarez, Pavilion ‘A’, City of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Author: University Career in Health Facility Planning CIRFS/FADU/UBA. Figure 3. Circulation system analysis.
precise distribution of circulation flows. Due to construction reasons or the
spatial configuration of some health facilities, it is not always possible to establish clear differentiations in pathways; the pandemic showed that the most effective way to control infections is by adhering to cleaning and material transportation protocols. Therefore, training staff to ensure their activities follow these standards is essential.
Installation system The installation system comprises, among other things, the following type of installations: fluid supply (hot/cold water and medical gases), waste disposal, air conditioning, electricity and telecommunications, and fire protection and security system. The distribution and organisation of the various installations are analysed, including how they function within a network, as well as the primary and secondary distributions and their vertical and horizontal ducts. Identifying those services within the hospital that involve a high concentration of installations in their areas is essential. When evaluating these installations,
their flexibility must also be considered, and a good energy supply should be ensured. Looking towards the future, this foresight in installations may initially result in some oversizing, but it will make the swift reorganisation of spaces possible, which is critical in emergencies. Precisely at the service level, in the inpatient service, whether for critical or intermediate care, the flexibility and adaptability of medical gases, electricity, and data installations should be evaluated to allow the placement of extra beds, ensuring that these have all the necessary supplies and water connections in adjacent spaces that would allow for the reconversion of their functions if required.
It will also be essential to observe the
degree of both physical and technological obsolescence of the installations for their
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maintenance, repair, or replacement. Good planning should be followed, which is easy to execute, with clear access to the different systems, without affecting the service’s functioning to minimise interference with the development of its activities. Good maintenance enables effective conversion and the maximum utilisation and use of installations once they have lost their utility.
Structural system The structural system is the framework in which the other systems are inserted; all its structural components (columns, beams, load-bearing walls, etc.), dimensional ranges, and modulation must be analysed. One of the primary resources for
considering the flexibility of the structural system is to ensure that an appropriate structural module has been chosen. This module may vary depending on the characteristics of each country. The best choice of module is one that can accommodate different health typologies, provide flexibility for change, and always take into account the characteristics of the location where it is implemented.
Conclusion After describing what happened during the pandemic and the subsequent analysis, it is concluded that it is of utmost importance to have a well-organised plan for health facilities, whether it be a hospital, a clinic or a health centre. This implies having a master plan for both the building and the exterior zones, meaning an integrated tool that defines in architectural plans the development and evolution of the facility’s installed capacity and its surroundings. This plan must consider the service’s trends and temporal dynamics, indicating possible changes and potential adaptations to the existing resources. The master plan should include
comprehensive plans for all levels of: l the functional system l the circulation system
l the installation system l the structural system.
The definition of the different access points to the facility, along with the identification and recognition of all participants involved in the process. A subsequent step for future analysis will be the general macro study of the service network, including selected buildings outside the hospital that were essentials for increases the capacity of hospitals during the pandemic. For this, it will be indispensable to deeply understand the population each facility in the network serves and the proportion and location of its most vulnerable patients. The design for health is constantly changing and transforming; we cannot change the past. However, we must be wiser toward the future by considering those experiences and being more flexible. The famous Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges once reflected: “The worst labyrinth is not that intricate form that can trap us forever, but a single, precise straight line.” Therefore, we must rescue what was learned from the past, position ourselves in the present, and project forward, bearing in mind that there are no unique solutions and new challenges will always arise.
References 1 Savignano MC, Romero C, Ruiz Casares B et al. Hospitals Technology and Networks: The Evolution of the Health Infrastructure post COVID-19. Eds. Debuchy AM, Minoja L. Inter-American Development Bank Infrastructure and Energy Sector Social Protection and Health Division (Nov 2022). [
www.publications.iadb.org].
2 Research Center for Health Facility (CIRFS), Faculty of Architecture, Design and Urbanism, University of Buenos Aires (FADU/UBA). Guidelines for the Development of Health Facilities. Edited and Published by World Health Organization/Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO). Washington D.C. USA 1990/2010.
IFHE DIGEST 2025
IFHE
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