With health caring architecture as the main topic, this master thesis will take point of departure in the architectural challenges Denmark are facing in the coming years regarding the planning of new super hospitals.

Based on the political choice of hospitalising patients in future single-bedrooms, this project raises the overall question: “Where do future patients meet for social interaction and support?”
State-of-the-art research indicates an increased risk of experienced loneliness, isolation and insecurity for patients in single bedrooms, and research studies have already established a connection between the patients’ experienced level of social support and the actual time of hospitalisation.
Considering this as the foundation for future patients, the project will address justified focus on one of the neglected areas in current hospital projects – the spaces for social support.
Waiting areas, hallways and dayrooms are often designed with the same standard as bedrooms and treatment rooms, and appear clinical, institutional and are basically quite unattractive.

Through a theoretical approach including the history of healing architecture and the introduction of architectural and anthropological theories, the project defines three main parameters that should be included in the design of future spaces for social support: Functions that reflects the everyday life, materials & textures with a homely atmosphere, and details with interior design in the human scale. In the design phase theses parameters are translated to a design proposal for a future social dayroom of 100 M2 in the context of DNU Skejby, where a new technical and innovative solution of new smart textiles are introduced, improving the tactile experience of the social dayroom and even improving the hygiene environment – together defining health caring architecture.