Shaping therapeutic spaces: Exploring Interior Design Approaches in Day Clinics for Psychotherapy

Abstract

Mental health is increasingly gaining focus in social and architectural discussions. Psychotherapeutic day clinics play a central role in the care of people with mental illnesses but have so far received little attention with regard to design. This master‘s thesis examines how the interior design of such facilities can specifically contribute to the promotion of mental well-being. The focus lies on design strategies that go beyond pure functionality and create an atmosphere that promotes healing. Interdisciplinary findings from the fields of interior design, environmental psychology and health design were brought together based on comprehensive literature research. Particular attention is paid to the principles of evidence-based design, salutogenic design and biophilic design. Design elements such as light, color, materials and references to nature are analyzed for their effect in a therapeutic context. The aim is to find out how rooms need to be designed to reduce stress, provide orientation, promote retreat and social interaction in order to actively support the therapeutic process. The work shows that interior design can make a significant contribution to mental recovery if it is tailored to the emotional and sensitive needs of the user groups. The theoretical findings are backed up by case studies of existing clinics and translated into design practice in an example design for a psychotherapeutic day clinic in Berlin‘s “Eternithaus”. This thesis understands architecture and interior design not only as a framework for therapy, but as an active part of the healing process - and argues for a stronger design sensibility in the field of mental health care.