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Waterford Health Park is a multi-disciplinary medical facility in Ireland. In 2009, the original historical structure was developed into the health park while conserving existing features. Space was created through the addition of new wings using the latest in sustainable technologies to create a healthy and eco-friendly building taking advantage of solar energy and reusing captured rainwater.
AN EXPANDED UNDERSTANDING OF THE HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENT
Up until recently, the healthcare environment has been understood to exclusively be constituted by the physical environment, at least as it is understood by most design practitioners, academics and healthcare executives. A natural consequence of this understanding is the physical healthcare environment has become the knowledge domain of architects, interior designers, landscape designers, planners, programmers, facility managers, construction program managers and builders. The CARITAS Project research calls for a new ex- panded understanding of the healthcare environment based on the concept of "Generative Space." This con- cept integrates both the physical environment with the social environment, or the social experience of a physical environment. Research is demonstrating that through integrating design of healthcare environments it becomes possible for every healthcare environment to create a place to fl ourish, providing both systemic and sustain- able improvements for all.
CALL FOR A NEW GENERATION OF LEADERS
The CARITAS Project research framework involves three core concepts — "cultivating a more generative space;" by "actively exercising health-design leadership;" in order to "create a place to fl ourish" for all. The core concept of cultivating a more generative space focuses on an integrated environment that produces life-enhancing experiences, as well as making
www.mcdmag.com March/April 2012 | Medical Construction & Design 33
