VIRTUAL London.
Abstract
With the Covid-19, easily spreading from person to person through the air and the sudden intensification of acute respiratory symptoms, it was necessary to meet surge capacity and ensure infection control in the intensive care units (ICUs) of existing hospitals. Many emergency action plans were implemented to increase patient capacity and provide pandemic conditions in ICUs. As in all other countries, within the scope of emergency response in Turkey, practices were carried out to organize the ICUs according to their patient and treatment capacities and simultaneously provide infection control. This process has revealed the prerequisite of multidirectional healthcare preparation to minimize the spread and save lives in case of a possible pandemic. Ward-type rooms of ICUs, which were frequently used and where the spatial transformation applied intensively, constitute the unit of analysis of this study. Focusing on the patient bed space, this study aims to examine the spatial problems experienced during the pandemic process, and how the communication and interaction between the critical Covid-19 patient and ICU nurses changes with the pandemic in relation to the space. Accordingly, the ward-type rooms of ICUs of Istanbul Research and Training Hospital, one of the most frequently used public hospitals in Turkey, were determined as the study area. To obtain a multidisciplinary study, it was studied with ICU specialist doctors and nurses. In the light of the information obtained from the ICU staff, it is aimed to develop ICU design strategies with a common mind that will be effective for future pandemics.
Cigdem Celebi pursued Bachelor in Architecture from Middle East Technical University in 2010, and Master’s degree in Interdisciplinary Urban Design Program from Istanbul Technical University in 2013. Since 2014, she has been carrying out architectural design of medical units such as nuclear medicine, oncology, and imaging centers, as well as radiopharmaceutical production facilities. Since 2019, she has been in the Architecture and Design PhD of Bahcesehir University and her thesis focuses on the spatial transformation performed in the ward-type rooms of ICUs of existing hospitals during the Covid-19
Sezin Hatice Tanrıöver pursued Bachelor, Masters degrees in Interior Architecture from I.D. Bilkent University, and PhD degree in Architecture/Building Sciences from Middle East Technical University, Ankara. Worked as an instructor in I.D. Bilkent University (1999-2008); as a visiting research fellow in MARU in London Southbank University for post-doctoral study (2007-6 months). Teaches in Bahçeşehir University, Istanbul. Published articles on architectural lighting design, interior design education, light and health, vernacular architecture, interior design in Architectural Science Review, Open House Journal, ISVS Journal, Turkish Journal of Geriatrics, Arkitekt, Megaron. Currently researching on healthcare interiors, lighting design. Executive Board Member of International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (IFI) 2022-2024.