Ancient Medicine & Hospital Architecture
The Greco-Roman influence on contemporary hospitals
T.J. Prins (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
R.V.M. Peeters – Mentor
More Info
expand_more
Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download, forward or distribute the text or part of it, without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license such as Creative Commons.
Abstract
It can be imagined that, due to fast technological innovation in the field of healthcare, current Western medicine distanced itself from ancient knowledge and practices. The aim of this thesis was therefore to find out to what extent it is possible to still recognize influences of classical medical texts and architecture in contemporary hospital architecture. Greco-Roman literature was studied to construct a theoretical framework of architectural principles that relate to classical healthcare methods. This was complemented by principles found in two case studies of Greco-Roman healthcare architecture. The framework was then applied in a case study of the nursing department of the Erasmus MC. It was possible to conclude that the case study shows many similarities to the derived framework, such as the prioritization of flexibility, focus on the individual, and climate control. In addition, some differences were discovered, such as how flexibility is achieved, the relation of the hospital to the city, and the use of daylight. This proves that Greco-Roman influences can still be found in contemporary Western hospital architecture.