Architectural strategies for improving healthcare professionals‘ safety and well-being in adolescent psychiatric facilities

This master‘s thesis explores the effects of architecture on the well-being and safety of healthcare professionals in psychiatric facilities for adolescents. The study adopts a qualitative methodological approach, incorporating a literature review and semi-structured interviews with professionals working in psychiatry and the architectural field. In summary, the aim of this research is to contribute to the discussion on the design of psychiatric hospital faculties for adolescents by proposing principles of architectural design that place healthcare professionals as central to spatial, functional and immaterial concerns. Beyond its utilitarian function, architecture can also “express” or “represent” particular attention to safety, well-being, and quality of life in the workplace. The analysis enabled the identification of several factors that promote a secure and caring work environment. Five interrelated areas emerged from the results: spatial organisation, safety infrastructure, therapeutic and natural environment, supportive staff rooms and collaborative design process. These findings suggest that improvements in these areas can make a contribution to a supportive and effective working environment.