AUSTRALIAN HEALTH DESIGN COUNCIL

Research

Since it’s foundation in 2012, the Australian Health Design Council (AHDC) has been committed to creating and sharing knowledge about the design of healthcare facilities with all who are interested in developing the best possible health buildings for the Australian community. Our Research Scholarship provides valuable financial aid for high-performing research students to further their research project and disseminate knowledge within the health facility design community. 

AHDC Research Scholars are actively engaging in academic research relevant to health facility design.

As part of their journey, they share regular updates with AHDC and present at member events and conferences. 

Chloe Piper (2024)

Architecture of Compassion

This research focuses on designing healthcare environments for trauma. This research addresses the gap in trauma-informed building design, acknowledging the influence of physical environments on health outcomes. Chloe’s work explores how scientific findings related to wellbeing can inform the design of sensitive and responsive architectural spaces for individuals recovering from trauma. Chloe's research contributes to the development of a holistic, healing-centred paradigm in architectural design.

Engagements with AHDC

  • Presented at the 2023 Conference "No Magic Bullet"
  • Presented at the 2024 Conference "Ahead of the Curve"



Carla Mileo (2023)

Towards an Architecture of Healing: Sensory Approaches to Reduce Restraint and Seclusion in Mental Health Facilities

Master of Architecture, Thesis Scholarship (1 year)

This research aims to explore how sensory design strategies can contribute to making acute psychiatric inpatient environments more restorative and so help reduce and eliminate the use of restraint and seclusion. This is important for at least three reasons:

  1. This is an area of mental healthcare design that has been under researched
  2. There is increasing societal need for evidence-based care that addresses a range of factors contributing to poor mental health, including psychological, biological and social
  3. There is potential to develop effective strategies that will contribute to achieving the Royal Commission reform priority to eliminate restraint and seclusion

Research findings will contribute to an increasing knowledge of best practice for mental health facility design.

Engagements with AHDC

  • Presented at the 2023 Conference "No Magic Bullet"

April 2024 Update

I am extremely grateful to have received the AHDC Research Scholarship in support of my Master of Architecture Thesis 'Towards an Architecture of Healing - Sensory Approaches to Reduce Restraint and Seclusion in Mental Health Facilities.’

As someone who is at the beginning of their career, this scholarship has provided an invaluable opportunity to pursue my professional interest in exploring the nexus between architecture, sensory perception, and health, to design restorative environments that enhance therapeutic outcomes and wellbeing. In particular, by allowing me to connect with and learn from international leaders in Mental Healthcare design who are supporting my aim to apply research findings and contribute to enhanced practice.

I encourage all who have an interest in working at the intersection of design, research, and health – whether at the beginning or advanced stages in their career – to apply.


Katharina Nieberler-Walker (2022)

Therapeutic Hospital Gardens (THGs): their purposeful and evidence-based design and integration into health policy and hospital programs

PhD Scholarship (3 years)

Project Summary: This research aims to establish a THG framework for healthcare professionals, policy and decision makers, designers, researchers and hospital administrators to facilitate the purposeful and evidence-based design and integration of THGs for every hospital and the benefit of patients, their families, staff and the hospital organisation. Significantly, this research will consolidate knowledge and experience in creating health promoting THGs for the benefit of many that are consistent, reliable and credible everytime a THG is established. The resultant findings will lead a cultural shift in medical hospital treatment, towards ‘holistic health’ that benefits humans and the environment.

Engagements with AHDC

  • Presented at the 2022 Conference " Breaking down the Silos"
  • Interviewed on Podcast on the topic of "Biophillic Benefits"

April 2024 Update

I was the inaugural recipient of the Research Scholarship from the AHDC to support my PhD answering the research question how therapeutic hospital gardens can be established to optimise the health promoting qualities of these gardens.

The $5,000 a year scholarship over three years enabled me to travel to international conferences. There, I was able to recruit architects, heath planners, hospital CEOs, government executives and clinical health professionals who are already establishing THG to participate in the research and thereby explore how they managed to establish therapeutic gardens in hospitals. Being at the international healthcare conferences and meeting these healthcare experts face to face made the THG research richer and more insightful, increased my professional network, and promoted the THG research project.