RESEARCH|Wellness
Welcoming Spacesin Acute CareWelcoming Spaces in Acute Care
A research paper that exanmines how entrances and front-of-house areas can become inclusive, stress-reducing gateways that connect hospitals with their communities and promote wellness for all
Insight
Hospitals are often perceived as institutional and uninviting.
This creates barriers to care, particularly for disadvantaged and Indigenous communities, where language and access challenges compound health inequity. The study argues that hospitals should act as open doors to the community and that redesigned entrance spaces can provide a more welcoming experience for patients and visitors.
The paper advances salutogenic design in acute settings, highlighting natural light, views to landscape and legible wayfinding as key factors that reduce stress and support recovery for patients and staff.
Key take-aways
Hospitals as community hubs
Acute facilities should be integrated with and engaged in their communities, shifting perception from places of illness to places of wellness. A wellness neighbourhood approach empowers lifelong health activism and reframes the front-of-house as a civic asset.
Front-of-house matters
Welcoming, well-lit entrance halls and clear arrival sequences create positive first impressions, reduce anxiety and improve orientation. Natural light and connections to nature are associated with reduced stress and better outcomes.
Design for cultural safety and inclusion
Community-led processes and respect for Country produce layered, sequenced environments that feel culturally safe. At Wilcannia Hospital, the design connects to the river and accommodates dignified family traditions.
Wayfinding and legibility
Landmarks, well-structured paths and clear porticos support navigation and welcome. The Renwick Centre demonstrates how a campus spine and entrance portico can invite staff, students and the public while linking internal and external spaces.
Health and the Arts
Arts programs and the NSW Health and the Arts Framework show that art improves patient, staff and carer experience, enhances design and wayfinding, engages communities and integrates health messages. Built-environment tools such as architecture, wayfinding, lighting, signage, landscaping and transport can all contribute.
Case studies in practice
- Sydney Adventist Hospital: a sunlit entrance hall reconnects buildings, improves access and foregrounds nature.
- Wilcannia Hospital: co-designed renewal restores heritage fabric, reconnects to Country and provides dignified spaces for families.
- Renwick Centre: an entrance portico and campus spine create legibility and gathering spaces for the wider community.
AT A GLANCE
Purpose: demonstrate how welcoming front-of-house spaces and salutogenic design can reduce stress and support recovery in acute care.
Scope: three built case studies plus literature review and precedents.
Results and implications
Research shows that natural light and views to nature can shorten hospital stays and improve wellbeing. Scale, proportion and consultation matter, with double-height volumes offering grandeur and single-height spaces encouraging intimate interaction. Dialogue with users and connection to Country produce more legible, respectful places. Investing in front-of-house design can reinstate hospitals as community landmarks.
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Get the complete publication including introduction, case studies, Health and the Arts guidance and a references list for further reading.
