What is an Architectural Doctor?

In the emerging developments of Architecture and Medicine, there becomes a question of how this process can unfold to support the general public along with the many professionals in working together to create these solutions. With the integration of these two fields, it can provide healthier built environments for the individual and society at large.

Yet how can these two professions work better together for more cohesive solutions?

While tremendous development continues to occur in the sector of Healthy Hospital Design and the Health fields related to the built environment, how can these best practices support the public sector?

How does the information from the fields of Epidemiology, Toxicology and Bioinformatics reach the professionals in the fields of Architecture/Engineering/Construction (AEC) and utilize this knowledge for best practices? How will current research and knowledge in fields such as Evidence-Based Design and Integrative Medicine be integrated with Architecture and Health professionals?

How can each of these fields work together for best practices in supporting health and wellness for the public and society at large?

The Architectural Doctor Defined

This is where the role of the Architectural Doctor can support these whole systems integrations and connections to support each professional in providing support for all involved. This is especially important for the general public as the client/patient.

While the field of Health in Architecture continues to emerge and develop, the role of an Architectural Doctor is essentially there to be both a liaison to help interconnect these many fields, as well as to be a resource to the Architecture and Medical professionals in bridging these gaps.

The Purpose of the Architectural Doctor

The professions of both Architect and Doctor require a huge amount of knowledge, training and years of experience, and to add more to their already full plates can become quickly overwhelming. It’s not expected that the average Architect and Doctor will be able to learn their profession, as well as the intricacies of both professions.

And this is where the Architectural Doctor can help to be a liaison to support this process, while also being there to help guide the general public as this information becomes more complex.

In the Information Age – Context is Key

The days of information scarcity are long over, and therefore the key to the future of knowledge towards wisdom is “context”. Providing some form of contextual reference to Health relative to the Built Environment is going to be important for future designs and decision making processes for those involved in both Architecture and Medicine.

The Architectural Doctor can support this contextual approach by having knowledge of both professions, yet working directly with them as supportive integrators. In this way, both professions can receive the support for multi-disciplinary knowledge that can lead to best practices for all involved in this often complex solution process.

This includes the knowledge shared with the public, as client and patient in the fields of Architecture and Medicine, respectively.

Conclusion

These two fields of Architecture and Medicine continue to include many other fields such as Public Health, Epidemiology, Toxicology, Bioinformatics, Evidence-Based Design, Neuroscience of Architecture and Environmental Psychology as just a few examples. As such, there becomes an important need to have integration between fields and professionals in this collaboration and to have connections between new information, knowledge, and processes for future solutions.

The Architectural Doctor can support this integration and continue to help connect these fields to contribute to best practices for future designs and developments.

Learn more about the role and purpose of the Architectural Doctor in the book “Architectural Medicine: Building the Bridge to Wellness”, now available on Amazon here.