The emerging shift in hospital design is revolutionising patient care. As evidence increasingly links well thought-out interiors to improved standards and faster recovery, healthcare facilities are transitioning from stark, clinical environments to spaces that promote healing and comfort. At Jeld-Wen, we have seen new design trends emerging across Europe, with just as much attention paid to the look and feel, as to the functionality, of healthcare environments. Here, we explore the evolution of hospital design, with the incorporation of colour and cues from nature contributing to more effective treatment, increased staff wellbeing, and a better bottom line.
Historically, hospitals were designed with a singular focus on function, often with little consideration to the wellbeing of the people within them. This approach resulted in the creation of sterile, uninviting spaces that detached patients from the natural world, with an abundance of stark white walls, windowless waiting rooms, and long, artificially-lit corridors.
For many patients, these clinical settings serve as a reminder that they are far from the comforts of home. Equally, such environments do little to inspire enthusiasm and motivation in staff, instead underscoring the gravity of their responsibilities, and the high stakes of their daily tasks.
However, the focus of modern healthcare design is evolving, driven by a growing body of evidence that demonstrates the profound impact of the built environment on patient outcomes and staff performance. This shift in approach is reimagining hospitals as healing environments that support the wellbeing of those who inhabit them.
Evidence-based design
In recent years, studies have explored and evidenced the benefits of well-designed healthcare environments, identifying the positive impact of thoughtfully conceived spaces. Links between architecture, physical health, and mental wellness continue to emerge, and as a result, evidence-based trends are informing decisions about all aspects of interior design.
Professor Roger Ulrich, a pioneer in healthcare design, laid the groundwork for this movement with his seminal 1984 study. Published in Science, his paper, ‘View Through A Window May Influence Recovery From Surgery’, compared the recovery outcomes of patients in rooms with tree views to those facing a brick wall.1
The results proved ground-breaking; patients with views of a tree had shorter hospital stays, lower pain medication use, and fewer negative evaluations. This study was the beginning of a growing body of evidence suggesting that poorly thought-out hospital design may hinder patient recovery.
A more recent review, by Haoyue Li at UCL,2 highlighted how natural light regulated hormone secretion, improved circadian rhythms, and reduced perceived stress, pain and — in turn — the use of pain medication. Patients that benefited from more daylight exposure also had hospital stays that were up to 41% shorter than those with less exposure. While changing the overall structure of existing buildings to account for this is unrealistic, the internal design can be retrofitted in a way that boosts the level of natural light throughout the space. For example, doorsets can be configured with glazed panels, and opaque glass can ensure there is still a level of privacy, while allowing daylight to enter a room. With less reliance on artificial sources of light reducing energy usage, this can also offer a financial benefit in the long term.
Today, many hospitals are also placing focus on creating quieter environments. Noisy wards are more than just an irritant, but can have a detrimental effect on recovery, particularly for patients prone to sensory overload. For private rooms, acoustic performance can be critical, so incorporating soundproofing features into their design is key.
Key considerations for modern healthcare settings
Improving the clinical environment isn’t just about creating a better space for patients, but can go some way to enhancing the wellbeing of their committed caregivers too. Working in a hospital setting is both demanding and stressful. Healthcare professionals often work long, irregular hours, while coping with the daily emotional toll of patient suffering and loss. Yet, despite the gravity of the job at hand, the reality is that many healthcare buildings have failed to prioritise the creation of good and nurturing working conditions. All too often, staff have needed to contend with noisy environments, limited space, and the constant glare of artificial lighting. This could be detrimental to their wellness, increasing the risk of burnout and — consequentially, impacting their ability to provide optimal care.
Many studies have demonstrated this, with a recent literature review finding that the aesthetic appeal of a facility contributed to higher staff satisfaction and wellbeing.3 This included higher levels of natural light, and interior designs that had a connection to the neighbourhood and to nature. Noise was also identified as a physical design element that contributed to staff stress and fatigue. A comparative study of two ICUs found that nurses who were exposed to higher sound pressure levels exhibited significantly higher levels of annoyance.
Greater efficiency and increased staff retention
As the NHS experiences substantial staffing challenges, it is essential that healthcare professionals have access to comfortable surroundings and calming spaces that promote employee wellbeing. In turn, this can not only lead to better treatment, but can also contribute towards improved staff retention and productivity, ultimately leading to greater efficiency and financial benefits. Taking these factors into account, and it’s clear why hospitals are paying greater consideration to how design elements impact both patient outcomes and staff productivity. While this may include everything from acoustics to ergonomics, here we explore three key elements to consider for good design: colour theory, biophilia, and privacy.
Colour plays a crucial role in shaping our environment and impacting our mood. This has even more pertinence in healthcare settings, and has been shown to influence patient recovery and staff productivity.4 The psychology of colour — the way in which different hues evoke specific emotions and physiological responses — suggests that brighter shades can stimulate energy, while softer, warmer palettes can induce feelings of calm and relaxation.
Although white was once the go-to colour for hospitals, colour theory is being continually leveraged to enhance the overall experience for patients, visitors, and staff. For instance, soft blues and pastel greens are often employed in therapy and operating rooms to reduce anxiety, while warmer tones of orange, yellow, and beige, may be used in common areas like hallways and waiting rooms, to create a welcoming and more comfortable atmosphere.
Equally, bright and cheerful colours — from pinks and purples through to bright reds and oranges, often combined with playful patterns, murals, and themes like animals, typically feature on paediatric wards to help uplift and reduce stress in younger patients. From a functionality perspective, the strategic use of colour can be utilised in signage and wayfinding systems to help individuals navigate complex hospital layouts more easily, in turn minimising anxiety and confusion.
The Kolding ‘super-hospital’ in Denmark used a unique approach to colour in its design. Built under the principle of ‘Healing Architecture’, every aspect of its décor focused on creating an environment that fosters positivity, calmness, and comfort. Swedoor, part of the global Jeld-Wen Group, played a crucial role in bringing this vision to life through the provision of customised doorsets.
Application of colour theory
This extends to the application of colour theory, taking cues from local nature. Inspired by the quiet calm of the forest, a rich shade of green brings a sense of peace into the hospital from the forecourt up to the wards. At that point, a calming blue colourway symbolises the serenity of the sky. In certain rooms and areas, a third and final golden palette affords a sense of warmth and optimism for patients and visitors.
Swedoor provided a customised doorset specification that enabled a cohesive application of colour, while meeting the hospital’s core requirements for optimum levels of hygiene and functionality. Working with the award-winning architects, Schmidt Hammer Lassen, Swedoor created three custom shades to align with their wider vision. In total, 700 doorsets were supplied in a bespoke palette that was in keeping with the artistic concept of the building. Each carried a laminate finish to offer exceptional durability, ease of maintenance, and hygiene, and — where required — fire safety and noise reduction features were specified to further enhance the performance of the product.
Fusing colour theory with functionality
Fusing the principals of colour theory with functionality in this way enabled the hospital to take an holistic approach to its interiors. This strategy harnesses the psychological effect of each carefully chosen hue to foster a feeling of comfort and wellbeing for the thousands of patients and staff members who pass through its doors each day.
Biophilic design, which incorporates elements of nature into the built environment, such as organic forms, natural light, and representations of wildlife, has gained significant traction in recent years. While not a novel concept, its application in healthcare settings has seen renewed interest due to its profound impact on patient wellbeing and recovery. Research5 consistently demonstrates that biophilic design improves occupants’ wellbeing by fostering feelings of calm and relaxation. A study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine6 found that patients exposed to real or artificial nature experienced less stress than those who had no exposure to nature. Taking this approach can not only make the hospital experience more visually appealing, but also less daunting for patients and visitors alike.
The new Tyks Lighthouse Hospital in Turku in Finland offers a compelling demonstration of biophilia’s power in healthcare settings. Opened to the public in 2022, the hospital’s iconic design pays homage to Finland’s rich and diverse natural habitat, creating a healing and relaxing environment for patients. Each unit is themed around a dedicated animal — from fish and swans to otters and birds — while each floor boasts its own nautical colour scheme.
In specifying internal doorsets for this development, Swedoor faced the challenge of visually representing these themes while adhering to the stringent standards set for hospital doors, including hygiene, durability, fire safety, and sound insulation.
Birch-patterned and white colourways
Leveraging Swedoor’s customisation capabilities, designers purposefully chose a birch-patterned and white colourway for most standard doorsets, harmonising with the wider hospital surroundings. To further enhance the wildlife theme and add visual appeal, many doors were completed with a laminated animal print using hygienic DEKO coating.
Our work at Södersjukhuset, one of the largest district general hospitals in Stockholm, provides another example of successful biophilic design implementation. As part of a comprehensive transformation of this former accident and emergency hospital, the adult emergency department was converted into a state-of-the-art neonatal facility.
The design team aimed to create a bright, comfortable environment for premature babies, their parents, and staff. Swedoor helped achieve this by pairing a neutral palette with unique clad doors featuring a luxury ash laminate finish. This bespoke design, specified to capture the intrinsic beauty and tactile appeal of real wood, brought a warm, rustic touch to the space, making it feel less clinical than traditional hospital settings.
Marrying form with function, brown linings around the doorsets not only enhance the natural colour scale, but also provide a contrast between the wall and door frame. This thoughtful design element enables easier orientation for visually impaired visitors, demonstrating how aesthetic considerations can also serve practical purposes. These projects show that even the most ambitious aesthetic goals need not compromise functionality. Every aspect of hospital design — including doors, can be customised with calming colours, inspired by nature, to create a therapeutic and healing ambience. As healthcare facilities continue to evolve, the integration of biophilic design principles promises to play a crucial role in enhancing patient outcomes and promoting staff wellbeing.
Privacy and comfort: a smarter approach
Historically, critical care facilities have faced challenges in creating calm, private environments due to the need for close observation and rapid intervention. This type of monitoring typically comes hand in hand with close proximity to other patients, resulting in ongoing noise, frequent disturbances, and little in the way of natural light. Fortunately, innovative solutions such as Vistamatic products are starting to address these challenges. This technology features a built-in glass panel within the door frame that switches from clear to opaque at the touch of a button.
Implemented as part of the configuration for several bedside doorsets at the Kolding Hospital in Denmark, this system enables patients and visitors to enjoy privacy, while giving care providers the ability to monitor them when necessary, with minimal disruption. The daylight-filled spatial qualities of Vistamatic glass also contribute to creating a welcoming and bright ambience for inpatients.
As the correlation between soothing environments and faster recovery becomes increasingly evident, this approach is gaining recognition as the gold standard for establishing healing hospital spaces. Available as part of customised Swedoor configurations, we’re seeing more healthcare architects and planners prioritising these design elements in new facilities and retrofit projects alike.
The primary challenge our customers face is articulating the business case for a more human-centric and patient-focused approach to hospital and healthcare design. Decision-makers naturally seek clear returns on investment, and may struggle to recognise the long-term benefits of innovative design approaches, such as improved patient outcomes and staff efficiency, which are not immediately apparent from a financial standpoint. However, the good news is that early adopters continue to share the value of this more considered design approach, so industry knowledge is increasing all the time. This can be used to make a more compelling business case, particularly around how well thought-out, considered design overlaps with wider societal trends around workforce wellbeing and sustainability.
The future of healthcare design
As academic and clinical evidence continues to demonstrate the positive impact of thoughtful interior design that promotes calm, comfort, and privacy, the healthcare sector is increasingly incorporating these perspectives into hospital settings.
Jeld-Wen remains committed to innovation in this area. Having already established a strong reputation for its quality across Europe, Swedoor is now available to the UK market. Offering customisable, third-party certified, high-performance doorset solutions that seamlessly blend form with functionality, and achieve regulatory compliance, we can work with healthcare professionals to help shape the future of clinical environments.
Looking ahead, those who embrace a less clinical and more comfortable design approach stand to reap significant benefits. Beyond improving patient outcomes and staff satisfaction, this can also contribute to more efficient and cost-effective healthcare delivery.
Lisa Ward
Product Line manager (UK and France) at Jeld-Wen, Lisa Ward, is a Chartered Marketer with over 20 years’ experience in brand, product management, new product development, and market activation. With a focus on product lifecycle management and strategy development, she worked with market-leading brands in the UK and across the globe before joining Jeld-Wen. Her extensive experience ranges from interiors, to home improvement and consumer goods, and she says she is ‘passionate about purpose-driven brands that make a difference’
References
1 View through a window may influence recovery from surgery. Science 27 April 1984; 4647: 420-421. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.6143402
2 Daylight in hospitals: health and wellbeing impacts on patients. UCL Institute for Environmental Design and Engineering. https://tinyurl.com/2vcu2nw5
3 The role of healthcare facility design on the mental health of healthcare professionals: A Literature Review. HERD January 2023; 16(1): 270-286.
4 The role of colour in healthcare environments, emergent bodies of evidence-based design approach. Sociology and Anthropology November 2016; 4(11):1020-1029.
5 A systematic review and conceptual framework of biophilic design parameters in clinical environments. HERD January 2023; 16(1): 233-250.
6 Stress-reducing effects of real and artificial nature in a hospital waiting room. Beukeboom CJ, Langeveld D, Tanja-Dijkstra K. J Altern Complement Med 2012; Apr: 18(4): 329-33.