A Collaborate Effort Between a Firm and University

The design of healthcare environments has become increasingly important during the past few decades. The demand for high-quality healthcare environments has grown as well. Healthcare environments provide a unique set of design opportunities and constraints that distinguish them from other kinds of spaces. They are unusually complex and must serve the needs of many different users, including patients, visitors, medical staff, and administrative personnel. Perhaps that is why they are rarely assigned in academic architectural design studios - but they should be.

Students need to be exposed to the possibilities of healthcare design while in school, as it offers a window into a world of architectural practice where their work will always be in demand. In addition, research is needed to identify and analyze approaches to healthcare design issues, and especially to assist designers in creating places and spaces that meet the complex needs of users.

Cannon Design of St. Louis, MO, is consistently ranked among the top healthcare design firms in the world. Staff from Cannon Design will deliver a series of presentations to students about health care design to provide an overview of the field and to orient them to upcoming design projects. They will participate in the development of project assignments and in interim and final design reviews.

For more information contact: Kathryn Anthony