Space planning in the conceptual stage of healthcare built environment intervention projetcts

Abstract

The increasing demand for healthcare services requires adaptations in built environments to improve service efficiency and meet user needs. In the context of hospital projects, the conceptual phase of building interventions plays a crucial role by defining strategic guidelines for space planning and requirements modeling. However, conventional practices often replicate preexisting configurations without assessing their suitability. This study proposes guidelines to integrate space planning with requirements modeling, enhancing decision-making in the conceptual design stage of hospitals. Adopting the Design Science Research (DSR) approach, digital tools based on Building Information Modeling (BIM) were developed to structure, analyze, and visualize spatial and functional requirements. The study resulted in a digital repository for organizing information and a dashboard for comparative space analysis. The findings highlight the importance of structured requirements management and space planning in generating value for hospital intervention projects.