A typological analysis of temporary medical structures before and during the Covid-19 pandemic

Abstract

In situations of crisis, regular hospitals often do not longer suffice the high demand for medical care. In this case, temporary medical structures become indispensable. The Covid 19 pandemic brought to the fore architectural challenges such as the spatial reorganization of healthcare facilities for high occupancy levels, the issue of infection control, the integration of new technologies, and the flexible and sustainable use of space. As a result, planners were urged to think about flexible and adaptable structures that were efficient in terms of materials, time, effort, and cost. This resulted in innovative solutions from which we can learn for future crisis and emergency situations.
The goal of this thesis is to create a "catalogue" of design strategies within the typology of temporary medical structures that can be applied to future projects during the Covid 19 pandemic but can also be applied to other scenarios where requirements overlap. Therefore, temporary medical structures before and during the Covid 19 pandemic will be embedded in their broader context and examined according to specific parameters. These parameters revolve around hygiene, psychological aspects, program, technology, and the architectural context. The analysis of the case studies is based on publications, articles, statements, and interviews with healthcare professionals. In this way, the reader is provided with an in-depth overview of strategies that can be implemented in temporary medical structures to solve challenges posed by crisis and emergency situations.