This graduation project investigates how architecture can redefine the role of the hospital as a civic building that cares equally for its staff and patients. Developed within the graduation studio Complex Projects at TU Delft, and aligned with the studio’s theme Bodies and Buildings, the project examines how the built environment impacts physical, mental, and emotional well-being — particularly of healthcare workers operating under systemic strain.

The design proposes a staff-centric hospital situated in Milan’s Quadronno district, responding to the city’s dense urban fabric while integrating new green public spaces. The building’s concept is grounded in three spatial strategies: efficient internal flows, access to daylight and outdoor spaces, and the central positioning of staff areas as the heart of the facility. The result is an empathetic and legible architectural framework that supports recovery, resilience, and dignity for both staff and patients.

By prioritizing staff well-being through architectural clarity and spatial generosity, the project challenges the prevailing efficiency-driven models of healthcare design and suggests a more balanced and humane alternative.

This research paper studies the evolution of the Arab-Norman style in sacred monuments across Sicily, mainly in Palermo and adjacent cities, from the 9th to 12th century. The focus is on three edifices: the Monreale Cathedral, San Cataldo Church and Cathedral-Basilica of Cefalù. The premise of the research is to explore the cultural convergence of Byzantine, Moorish and Norman styles, and how it led to the creation of the unique, Arab-Norman style. Through a diverse, interdisciplinary line of action, using historical records, cultural context and previously written academic papers the extent of the influence of the three styles will be explored.