Space planning in the conceptual stage of healthcare built environment intervention projetcts

Planejamento de áreas na etapa conceitual de projetos de intervenção no ambiente construído da saúde

Abstract

The increasing demand for healthcare services requires adaptations in built environments to improve service efficiency and meet user needs. In the context of hospital projects, the conceptual phase of building interventions plays a crucial role by defining strategic guidelines for space planning and for the modelling of requirements. This study proposes guidelines to integrate space planning with requirements management, enhancing decision-making in the conceptual design stage of hospitals. The research followed the Design Science Research (DSR) methodological approach, and it is based on an empirical study conducted in a large hospital, resulting in the development of a requirements management (RM) framework, a taxonomy of requirements, and two digital tools: a requirements repository and a dashboard for comparative spatial analysis. The results show that integrating RM with space planning from the early stages contributes to improved clarity, traceability, and value generation. The main scientific contribution lies in the proposal of a requirements management model that links functional, strategic, and structural requirements to the physical planning of the environment.

Keywords
Healthcare built environment; Conceptual phase; Intervention project; Requirements modeling; Space planning