The Atmosphere and Embodied Perception of Children in Healing Architecture: A Phenomenological Analysis of Contemporary Pediatric Dental Clinics

The therapeutic experience in clinical spaces for children is not limited to medical procedures but is deeply intertwined with embodied perception, emotions, and the atmospheric quality of the environment. Healing spaces such as pediatric dental clinics can evoke anxiety and fear, or conversely, serve as calming and trust-building environments for children. This phenomenological study focuses on the subjective and embodied perception of children’s lived experiences within contemporary therapeutic spaces. The research aims to reinterpret the spatial atmosphere of pediatric dental clinics through the lenses of sensibility, memorability, imagination, and the spatial connectivity to the child’s body. The conceptual framework draws upon the theories of Merleau-Ponty, Husserl, and Gaston Bachelard. Through a comparative analysis of innovative case studies from pediatric dental clinics across different countries, the study examines how environmental design factors influence the reduction or exacerbation of children’s anxiety. Findings highlight that elements such as color, lighting, tactile materials, presence of play, inviting forms, and spatial narrativity play a crucial role in shaping the atmosphere and embodied experience of children. The study emphasizes the necessity of human-centered and child-focused therapeutic design—spaces that not only fulfill medical functions but also empathetically engage with the child’s psychological well-being.