Towards the provision of appropriate maternity spaces in healthcare facilities of Malaysia - spatial studies on the selected maternity units

Public facilities for maternity care is among the earliest facility provided for the Malaysian public by the British. Maternity care includes pre and post-natal care that were provided as part of the primary care towards secondary care and subsequently a follow-up by the primary care caregivers. Traditionally, maternity care was given in the home. However, with Malaysia driving towards achieving a low mortality rate in childbirth, and control environment can only be obtained in special spaces, Maternity and Child Health Clinics, Alternative Birthing Centres and Labour and Delivery Units of hospitals were established. The contention was brought about among healthcare architects and caregivers on what are ‘adequate’ spaces amidst appropriate and functional spaces. The spatial study is thus aimed to review and analyse what the caregivers meant by ‘adequate’ spaces in meeting the needs of maternity services against the use of natural instincts or gut feelings. The methodology used will include observation, physical survey on the selected maternity facilities of the country; questionnaire survey on staffs and patients; as well as studies of the as-built drawings. The finding of this research is to provide the adequate and appropriate maternity care spaces in reciprocal to the level of care, as a guide to future maternity care projects in the country

The concept of barrier free in healthcare spaces: Labour delivery room design case study

Healthcare spaces is one of the earliest spaces where barrier free concept of space design is being accepted and regularised as part of the essential building requirement. Spaces in healthcare buildings support activities that support the function of making ease in the delivery of care to sustain live and care for the decease. The paper introduces the subject of healthcare spaces and through case study illustrate step by step how designers – architects and the user clients approach design of the space, using the various available guidelines to produce the first draft drawing, conduct post occupancy evaluation (POE) and following analysis of POE adapt the design for approval and construction. For the purpose of demonstrating the concept of barrier free in healthcare spaces, labour delivery room designs of several hospitals are being selected as the case study. A qualitative research approach was adopted for this study. Literature review on the process of design and activities of labour were conducted prior visits to selected facilities for observation on its usage. Interview of the main players in the design decisions were made pre and post visit where relevant. The paper concluded that this is one of the many spaces in healthcare buildings that support the process of healing or bearable for many ailments and diseases that address physical and mental condition of a person. Each space has its own general and specific requirements to which designers need to understand and provide as appropriate. Barrier free concept is not only for the disable but for the able to support the disable at the time of crisis

Reviewing Evidence Based-Design (EBD)for healthcare to achieve best possible outcome

An overview of the history and development of Evidence Based- Design as aftermath of Evidence Based Medicine into the realm of healthcare facility designs. The presentation explore latest EBD research,determine components that research had proven to support healing, discusses clinical employability through good design and update with continuous improvement of EBD to meet current needs of flexibility and adaptability. The presentation is based on literature review, current research and discussions

Evolution of public healthcare facilities designs to health trend in Malaysia : a retrospect of nation building from pre colonial to today

Malaysia has its own inbuilt history of evolution of healthcare facilities designs from the traditional to contemporary mega structures we witness today. Each designs has its own story foretold the epidemiology phenomena, capacity and inspiration of a developing nation. From simplistic idea of housing aspects of health in single isolated buildings to complex structures that needs reviewing towards a sustainable future. The pictorial presentations briefly explore Malaysian public healthcare facilities from its humble beginnings in nation building from pre-colonial to what it is today. The objective is to provide ideas on the basis of why and how these designs were pragmatically evolved through time, to professionals, allied disciplines and users. Both qualitative and quantitative methodologies were adopted for this continuing research. Primary and secondary data, through literature review, observations, random interviews, post occupancy evaluations and hands-on experiences, were utilised. The significance of this presentation includes a sense of importance to the role of individual players in the healthcare services, construction and industry, the trust that our Creator, and humanity had conferred on us, towards contributing and sustaining a healthy and hence a ‘wealthy” nation

Inculcating traditional values in the design of healthcare facilities for sustainability: a Malaysian scenario

Words of wisdoms from our forefathers were based on experience and practicality. Human behaviour and inculcated culture do not change but get adapted in the circumstances. Sustainability is about coming to terms with conflicting presentation in our facility design and the need to change our paradigm of preconception to sincere evaluation of our real day-to- day users’ needs. This paper studies usage of spaces to needs in selected hospitals in Malaysia. The objective is to gather traces of adaptation and innovation by users in their daily routine in hospital environment to sustain operation for patient care in respective locality. Literature review and post occupancy evaluation based on the period from 1997 to date were used for this study. The findings should provide a retrospect on how design decisions were done and imperative for planners and designers (1) to use them as basis for decision making in future hospital projects; and (2) to engage in further research for more practical and customized planning and design solutions for contextual sustainability in the future

Aesthetics and beautiful lifestyle - Redefining the concept of aesthetics in the built environment

The question of aesthetic is an age long enigma in many societies with various conceptions and perceptions through philosophers of yore till the present day. Beauty, as part of aesthetics, carries along its intonation in more that just physical expressions but to experiencing life itself in the manner manifested by the Creator for mankind surpassing time. For built environment, the enigma of aesthetics can be expressed in many ways to include the integration of nature with man’s handiwork to the land itself in intrigue balance; the shaping of human’s life with the planning of friendly neighbourhood and efficient cities for sustainability; and the fiddling of spatial concerns with a purpose to ease Man’s pursuit to submission to the Almighty. We are created in many shades, shapes, colour, culture and other diversities to provide constant enrichment to life’s innovation in positive way. The perception of aesthetics into beautiful lifestyle conjures images of pure joy and exuberance in many aspects of mankind and the environment. The notion of beautiful living must be based on matter that provide joyfulness and sense of fulfilment here and the hereafter and not on trends and fleeting moments of desire. The presentation thus is not conclusive in determining the concept of aesthetic and beautiful lifestyle but merely to address the questions and opens more enquiry of its deliverance in architecture, landscape architecture, planning and other aspects of the built environment. Keywords: aesthetics, beautiful, lifestyle, perception, built environmen

Proposal for KAED’s students’ revolving fund for international educational trip - specific for architecture programme AAR 3301 heritage studies course.

A working paper to request funding in the form of a sustainable revolving fund for overseas travel for students in heritage studies , practical training and others for department of architecture and KAED

Islamic influence on the architecture of the Malay world

It is a lecture to a architecture students from Crete University for “Beyond the Boundaries of the West. Journeys to Spatial Conception of the East” Course. The lecture explains what is Islam and Islamic Architecture, what is Malay traditional architecture and how Islam come about to the South East Asian region and minimally influence the built environment we inherit today. This was the first time, the Greek students were exposed to South East Asian architecture through a live-skype presentation real time

Proposal for a budget in the setting up of The Indigenous Malaysian Heritage Village for Architectural Heritage Studies for the Kulliyyah of Architecture and Environmental Design, International Islamic University Malaysia

A working paper to request fund to set up an indigenous village within the compound of IIUM Gombak campus for purpose of conservation and studies on heritage buildings of Malaysia