Architecture, Building and Planning - Research Publications
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ItemPhysical and perceptual gap in indoor environmental quality: a mixed method study of space and users at an aged care facility in Victoria(Taylor & Francis, 2019-05-11)Nearly a quarter of a million of Australia's ageing population live in residential aged care facilities. Given the growing ageing population in Australia, it is important to understand the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) of these settings in consideration of not only measurable IEQ data but also senior occupants’ perceived comfort for their health and wellbeing. In this research, a residential aged care facility was selected in Victoria, Australia, as a case study to examine these relationships across different seasons. IEQ monitoring devices were deployed for continuous and instantaneous data collection on site. Questionnaires and personal interviews were also conducted across three user groups (residents, staff and visitors) to establish an understanding of the users’ perceptions. This study found the existence of a gap between measurable and perceptual IEQ according to the building configuration and occupancy as well as the user lifestyle and activity.
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ItemWorkspace environmental design evaluation to support the aged care workforce: Are we using the right evaluation approaches?(WILEY, 2019-12)OBJECTIVES: Australia's aged care workforce is facing pressures due to increased demands from an ageing population. This paper reflects upon whether existing workspace environmental design evaluations are supporting the aged care workforce. METHODS: This brief report was informed by a 2018 Optimising Aged Care Workspace Environment Symposium with three streams: (a) Developing, (b) Implementing and (c) Evaluating Aged Care Workspace Environments. RESULTS: Symposium key messages included the following: 'evidence (lived experiences and feedback) from both older people and the aged care workforce needs to inform both development and implementation of aged care environment design'. The Evaluating Aged Care Workspace Environments stream key messages included the following: 'evaluation approaches are required that are responsive and appropriate to the complex dynamic aged care workspace contexts'. CONCLUSION: To better inform the design of future aged care settings and support the aged care workforce, principles-focused evaluations of existing aged care settings with input from the aged care workforce are required.
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ItemWorkplace design for the Australian residential aged care workforce(WILEY, 2018-09)OBJECTIVES: This research explored residential aged care (RAC) workplace design features that influence how RAC staff feel valued, productive, safe, like they belong and connected. A secondary aim was to validate emerging themes about RAC design features with stakeholders. METHODS: A multistage qualitative study was conducted in one RAC facility with 100 residents in outer metropolitan Melbourne: (i) photo-elicitation - photographs were used to prompt discussions with RAC staff; (ii) individual interviews with RAC directors; and (iii) validity testing with the advisory committee occurred. RESULTS: Key workplace design features that influenced how RAC staff feel valued, productive, safe, like they belong and connected included the following: (i) home-like environment; (ii) access to outdoor spaces; (iii) quality indoor environment; and (iv) access to safe, open and comfortable workplaces. CONCLUSIONS: Key workplace design features that matter to RAC staff in a 'shared workspace' exist. Increasing demands upon RAC requires evidence-based workplace design policy and evaluation approaches that support RAC staff to work in RAC shared workspaces.
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ItemA Framework for Designing Inpatient Stroke Rehabilitation Facilities: A New Approach Using Interdisciplinary Value-Focused Thinking(SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC, 2019-10)AIM: To use Value-Focused Thinking to investigate what is important in the design of inpatient stroke rehabilitation facility buildings. BACKGROUND: Many stroke patients require inpatient rehabilitation in a dedicated facility. Rehabilitation facilities are healthcare spaces, but they are also learning spaces where patients practice targeted tasks to acquire new skills and to reacquire skills and abilities that were compromised as a result of their stroke. There is currently no consensus regarding how the design of inpatient rehabilitation facilities could be optimized for patients' learning. METHOD: We used Value-Focused Thinking to develop a framework of what interdisciplinary experts consider important for inpatient stroke rehabilitation facility design. Two workshops were conducted. The following experts were invited to participate: past patients with experience of stroke rehabilitation; stroke rehabilitation clinicians; stroke rehabilitation academics; healthcare environments academics; learning environments academics; architects, designers, and wayfinders with experience designing healthcare or learning environments; and healthcare design policy makers. RESULTS: Thirty experts participated. The experts' final framework included 16 criteria that were considered fundamentally important for inpatient stroke rehabilitation facility design, and 14 criteria that were considered instrumentally important. Inpatient stroke rehabilitation facility design should maximize efficiency, maximize effectiveness (i.e., patients' clinical and functional outcomes), foster emotional well-being, and maximize safety. Opportunities to practice physical, cognitive, and social activity were considered important for patients' outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Value-Focused Thinking was an effective and equitable means of engaging experts from multiple disciplines. Designers, planners, and developers of inpatient stroke rehabilitation facilities should consider the rehabilitation-specific framework developed in this study alongside evidence from other healthcare settings.
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ItemPlug n play: Future prefab for smart green schools(MDPI AG, 2018)While relocatable, prefabricated learning environments have formed an important component of school infrastructure in Australia, prefabrication for permanent school buildings is a new and emerging field. This review of prefabrication for schools is timely. In 2017, Australia’s two largest state education departments committed to prefabrication programs for permanent school infrastructure. In this paper we examine the recent history of prefabrication for Australian school buildings in the context of prefabrication internationally. We explore the range of prefabrication methods used locally and internationally and introduce evaluation indicators for school infrastructure. Traditional post-occupancy evaluation (POE) tools measure indicators such as indoor environment quality (IEQ), cost benefit, life cycle performance, and speed of delivery. In response to a shift towards more student-centred learning in a digitally rich environment, recently developed POE tools now investigate the ability of new generation learning environments (NGLEs) to support optimum pedagogical encounters. We conclude with an argument for departments of education to consider how prefabrication provides opportunities for step changes in the delivery, life-cycle management and occupation of smart green schools rather than a program of simply building new schools quicker, better, and cheaper.
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ItemDesign lessons from three Australian dementia support facilities(MDPI AG, 2018-05-24)There is a significant increase in the number of people with dementia, and the demand for residential support facilities is expected to increase. Providing an appropriate living environment for residents with dementia, which can cater for their specific needs is crucial. Residential aged care design can impact the quality of life and wellbeing of the residents. In this investigation, three recently constructed dementia support facilities in Victoria, Australia are selected for evaluation. Through fieldwork observation, design evaluation and space syntax analysis, the aim of this investigation is to consider the design of these three facilities in the context of current evidence on how the built environment can best accommodate residents with dementia.