Beneficial visits; Uppsala Diabetes Center; An identification and application of architectural strategies for healthcare centers to reduce

Abstract

The relationship between the built environment and human health has received increasing attention within architecture. While hospitals and acute care facilities are frequently studied, outpatient centers managing patients with chronic conditions often receive less focus. Many contemporary healthcare environments are shaped by standardized models of planning intended to fit diverse medical functions. While efficient, these generalized spaces can overlook the emotional and social needs of certain groups. This thesis investigates how user-centered architectural design can reduce loneliness and negative illness perceptions. Young people with Type 1 diabetes manage a lifelong condition requiring frequent clinical visits, education, and self-management. Research indicates that this group is at a higher risk of mental health challenges, including isolation and illness-related distress. Despite these needs, many diabetes clinics remain generic, outdated, and unfunctional with lacking opportunities for comfort, social interaction, or a sense of belonging. The thesis explores how architectural strategies through spatial organization, materiality, color, and atmosphere can enhance well-being and encourage social connection in outpatient centers. By examining specialized design approaches, the research questions how healthcare environments can move beyond standardized models to respond to the actual experiences of its users. The multi-method approach combines literature review, theoretical frameworks, interviews, and spatial analysis. Existing diabetes clinics in Sweden were studied through site visits and spatial experiences, focusing on atmosphere, organization, and user experience. These observations were complemented by reference projects of contemporary healthcare that emphasize patient-centered design, EBD, and biophilic design. Findings are translated into architectural strategies and a design toolbox for user-centered outpatient centers. The research leads to a design proposal for a freestanding diabetes center at the campus of Akademiska Sjukhuset in Uppsala. This thesis aims at demonstrating how architectural design can integrate medical functionality with social and psychological support, creating spaces that promote users’ well-being