Podcast Title: Designed 4 Recovery

Episode Title: Trauma-Informed Design in Healthcare Settings: Creating Safe, Non-Triggering Spaces

Host: ‘Lowo Adeyemi

Episode Summary

How do healthcare environments impact individuals with a history of trauma? In this episode of Designed 4 Recovery, host ‘Lowo Adeyemi explores the transformative role of Trauma-Informed Design (TID) in shaping safe, supportive, and non-triggering spaces for patients and staff alike.

Drawing from SAMHSA’s six guiding principles of trauma-informed care, we break down how these concepts translate into physical space—shifting healthcare design from sterile institutions to environments that actively promote healing, dignity, and trust.

Listeners will gain insights into:

The fundamentals of trauma in the context of care and why design matters.

Common environmental triggers to avoid in healthcare facilities.

Practical design strategies for sensory soothing, patient empowerment, spatial clarity, and cultural sensitivity.

Real-world case studies—from pediatric clinics to trauma recovery centers—demonstrating the power of trauma-informed spaces.

Why staff wellness is just as critical in trauma-informed design.

Key Takeaway:

Design is not just about aesthetics—it communicates safety, trust, and care at a nervous-system level. Trauma-informed design is not a trend, but a moral imperative in healthcare.

Perfect For:

Healthcare leaders, architects, interior designers, mental health professionals, and anyone passionate about creating environments that honor dignity and support recovery.

Resources & Mentions:

SAMHSA’s Six Principles of Trauma-Informed Care

Case Studies: The Center for Youth Wellness (San Francisco), Trauma Recovery Center (Ohio)

Connect with the Host:

Follow ‘Lowo Adeyemi for more conversations at the intersection of healthcare and design.

Noise is one of the most overlooked yet impactful elements in healthcare environments. In this episode, host Lowo Adeyemi takes a deep dive into how soundscaping—the intentional design and management of the acoustic environment—can transform patient experiences and outcomes.

We explore:

The science behind sound and healing – How noise affects stress hormones, sleep, and recovery, and how positive sound interventions can reduce pain and anxiety.

Different care settings – Tailored soundscaping strategies for hospitals, rehabilitation centers, outpatient clinics, and home-care environments.

Practical soundscaping tools – From sound masking and biophilic audio to acoustic materials and personalized audio devices.

Expert guidelines & best practices – Recommendations from the WHO, FGI, AIA, and ASA on optimal decibel levels, design targets, and collaborative processes.

Key Takeaway: Noise isn’t just background—it’s a clinical factor that influences recovery. By integrating science, technology, and design expertise, we can turn disruptive noise into a healing presence that supports dignity, rest, and well-being.

📌 Perfect for: healthcare architects, interior designers, facility managers, clinicians, and anyone invested in creating truly healing environments.

How does your environment affect your healing journey?

In this deeply insightful episode of Designed 4 Recovery, host and healthcare architect ’Lowo Adeyemi explores the profound psychological and physiological impacts of the built environment on recovery and well-being.

From the way light influences our circadian rhythms to the emotional resonance of restorative spaces, this episode breaks down the sensory, spatial, and symbolic dimensions that define truly healing environments.

Whether you're a healthcare designer, clinician, planner, or simply someone passionate about human-centered design—this episode offers a compelling case for why design is not just functional—it’s emotional, cultural, and transformational.

🧩 In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

How the human brain responds to space—emotionally and neurologically

The five key dimensions of healing design: light, acoustics, biophilia, wayfinding, and psychological safety

Real-world case studies from Maggie’s Centres (UK), Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (Singapore), and Legacy Emanuel Medical Center (USA)

How spatial design reflects the emotional arc of a patient journey

Why cultural sensitivity is essential to designing truly inclusive, dignified healthcare environments

The future of healing spaces—featuring smart technologies, modular clinics, and trauma-informed design

🏥 Featured Case Studies:

Maggie’s Centres (UK): Domestic-scale cancer support spaces designed to feel like home

Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (Singapore): Biophilic design that brings nature directly into the care experience

Legacy Emanuel Medical Center (Oregon, USA): ICU redesign informed by staff insight, resulting in better outcomes and reduced errors

🌿 Key Quotes:

“The brain is constantly reading the room—literally.”

“We are not designing for pathology. We are designing for people in their most vulnerable moments.”

“Healing begins not with a diagnosis—but the moment someone steps into a space that says: ‘You’re safe here.’”

🔗 Resources & Mentions:

Roger Ulrich’s study on hospital views and recovery rates

The field of neuroarchitecture

Design principles from biophilic design and trauma-informed environments

Subscribe to Designed 4 Recovery on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite podcast app

🙌 Support the Show:

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider:

✔ Subscribing

✔ Leaving a 5-star review

✔ Sharing it with colleagues, designers, and healthcare leaders

Your support helps amplify the mission of dignified, healing-centered design in healthcare.

What happens after acute care but before a patient is fully ready to return home? In this insightful solo episode, host and healthcare architect ‘Lowo Adeyemi explores the critical role of transitional care facilities—the often-overlooked spaces that support patients during rehabilitation and recovery.

From step-down units to post-acute rehabilitation centers, this episode dives into how thoughtful design can bridge clinical efficiency with the comfort of home. Discover how spatial layout, material choices, biophilic design, and personalized environments can drastically reduce hospital readmissions, improve patient outcomes, and restore dignity.

If you’re a healthcare designer, architect, clinician, or policymaker passionate about improving the continuum of care—this one’s for you.

🎧 In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why transitional care is a vital phase in the patient journey

How to design spaces that balance residential warmth with medical functionality

The power of biophilic elements, personalization, and therapy-integrated environments

What it means to design not just for recovery, but for dignity and autonomy

Practical examples and imagined case studies that reframe what's possible

💡 Key Takeaway:

Transitional care facilities aren’t just stopgaps—they are launchpads for healing. When designed well, they restore confidence, reduce stress, and support long-term wellness.

📌 Mentioned Concepts:

Step-down care

Rehabilitation design strategies

Evidence-based layout planning

Patient-centered recovery environments

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Designing for autonomy and hope

Subscribe to Designed 4 Recovery

Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and wherever you listen.

Follow ‘Lowo Adeyemi for more insights:

[LinkedIn] | [Instagram] | [Website]

Hashtags:

#HealthcareDesign #TransitionalCare #PatientRecovery #ArchitectureForHealing #Designed4Recovery

In this compelling solo episode of Designed 4 Recovery, healthcare architect and design advocate ‘Lowo Adeyemi unpacks a vital and often overlooked question in healthcare architecture:

Is good design truly worth the investment?

Far beyond aesthetics, healing-centered design offers measurable financial returns—from reduced patient stays to lower medication use, fewer medical errors, and higher staff retention. In an industry where every dollar matters, this episode explores how thoughtful environments can generate millions in savings while improving care quality.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

Why design is more than a “soft” consideration in healthcare operations

How natural light, acoustics, and layout reduce length of stay and improve recovery rates

The powerful link between healing environments and lower medication use

How strategic design enhances staff satisfaction and slashes turnover costs

Ways improved layouts and visibility reduce medical errors and liability risks

The economic impact of higher patient satisfaction on reimbursement and reputation

A real-world success story: Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center and its $10M+ in savings through healing design

🏁 Key Takeaway:

Good design is not a luxury—it’s a financial strategy.

Investing in healing-centered environments yields quantifiable returns in patient outcomes, staff performance, and operational efficiency. Over the lifespan of a facility, the ROI is monumental.

📌 Resources & Mentions:

Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center (Case Study)

Center for Health Design’s Pebble Project (suggested resource for further reading)

👥 Ideal For:

Healthcare administrators & executives

Designers & architects in healthcare settings

Policy-makers & healthcare investors

Anyone advocating for better environments in care delivery

🎧 Tune In, Reflect, and Share:

If you’ve ever struggled to justify design upgrades to your board or stakeholders—this episode arms you with the language, data, and strategy to make your case.

🔔 Subscribe, rate, and review Designed 4 Recovery on your favorite podcast platform.

📩 Want help presenting a business case for healing design? Reach out to ‘Lowo Adeyemi—let’s design for impact, equity, and recovery.

As global dementia rates continue to rise, how can healthcare design meet the moment with dignity and innovation? In this solo episode, healthcare architect Lowo Adeyemi takes a deep dive into designing environments that not only protect individuals with dementia—but also empower them.

You’ll discover how thoughtful spatial planning, sensory-conscious interiors, intuitive wayfinding, and access to nature can mitigate common challenges associated with cognitive decline. Drawing from evidence-based frameworks and real-world applications, this episode explores how we can humanize memory care facilities through design that is as empathetic as it is effective.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

🔹 The neurological and behavioral realities of living with dementia—and how they shape design priorities

🔹 Key design strategies that improve safety while avoiding an institutional feel

🔹 How intuitive wayfinding reduces disorientation and anxiety

🔹 The therapeutic power of outdoor access and sensory regulation

🔹 Why personalization and small-scale residential models foster autonomy and comfort

🔹 Tools and frameworks such as the Dementia Design Assessment Tool (DDAT) and insights from DSDC

🔹 The critical role of interdisciplinary collaboration in memory care design

Design Tools & Resources Mentioned

Dementia Design Assessment Tool (DDAT)

Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC) at the University of Stirling

ADA Guidelines & WELL Building Standard (with dementia-sensitive enhancements)

Who Should Listen

This episode is a must-listen for:

✅ Healthcare architects and interior designers

✅ Memory care facility planners and operators

✅ Gerontologists, neurologists, and caregiving professionals

✅ Design students and researchers focused on inclusive environments

✅ Advocates for aging-in-place and dignified elder care

Quote to Remember

"Design for dementia transcends the mere limitation of freedom—it seeks to empower dignity within secure parameters." – Lowo Adeyemi

Connect & Share

If this episode inspired you, don’t keep it to yourself. Share it with a colleague, caregiver, or design partner. Let’s build environments that remember those who cannot.

🎧 Subscribe to Designed 4 Recovery for more episodes that explore the healing power of thoughtful design.

#Designed4Recovery #DementiaDesign #MemoryCare #HealthcareArchitecture #DesignWithEmpathy

In this solo deep-dive, host Adelowo Adeyemi explores how design innovation is reshaping access to healthcare through community-centric models. From mobile health units to pop-up clinics, this episode examines how architecture can bring care directly to underserved populations — not just physically, but meaningfully.

We go beyond logistics to unpack how evidence-based design (EBD) empowers trust, dignity, and well-being, even in the most transient or compact of clinical environments. You’ll hear real-world examples, practical design strategies, and a compelling call for participatory, trauma-informed, and biophilic approaches to mobile care delivery.

Whether you’re a healthcare architect, planner, provider, or policymaker, this episode offers inspiration and tools to help you design for movement, clarity, dignity, and agency.

🔍 Topics Covered:

Why access to care is a design challenge — and how to meet it head-on

Mobile medical units: design efficiency + therapeutic intent

Pop-up clinics: rapid deployability meets emotional safety

Trauma-informed and biophilic strategies in transient care spaces

Co-designing with communities to ensure cultural relevance and trust

Real-world case studies from New York City to the Mississippi Delta

A designer’s checklist for equitable, impactful healthcare environments

📌 Key Takeaways:

Design for Movement: Prioritize modularity without sacrificing comfort or control.

Design for Clarity: Elevate way-finding, flow, and acoustic integrity — even in mobile spaces.

Design for Dignity: Embed nature, privacy, and softness into every experience.

Design for Participation: Collaborate with the community early and intentionally.

📣 Stay Connected:

If this episode sparked new ideas or shifted your perspective, please share it with your network. For more insights at the intersection of healing and design, follow Designed 4 Recovery wherever you get your podcasts.

Let’s keep building spaces that meet people where they are — and help them heal.

What if hospitals didn’t just treat illness—but actively nurtured wellness, community, and the planet?

In this inspiring episode of Designed 4 Recovery, host ‘lowo Adeyemi explores how sustainability is revolutionizing the future of healthcare facility design. From energy efficiency and water conservation to biophilic design and adaptable infrastructure, this episode breaks down how thoughtful, eco-conscious spaces can promote healing—for patients, staff, and the environment alike.

Whether you're a healthcare architect, clinician, sustainability advocate, or simply someone passionate about creating healthier spaces, this episode offers compelling insights into how design can reduce harm, enhance care, and build resilience for generations to come.

What You’ll Learn:

Why hospitals are among the most resource-intensive buildings—and how that’s changing

Practical strategies for improving energy and water efficiency

The power of material choices in supporting human and environmental health

How biophilic design improves recovery and staff well-being

Creative solutions for healthcare waste management

Why designing for adaptability is key to future-ready facilities

Resources & Links:

Subscribe to Designed 4 Recovery for more episodes on the intersection of healthcare and design

Join the Conversation:

If this episode sparked an idea or challenged your thinking, let us know! Leave a review, share with your network, and be part of the movement toward more healing, sustainable spaces.

How can we turn hospitals from intimidating institutions into places of joy for children and their families? In this episode, ‘Lowo Adeyemi unpacks the power of pediatric healthcare design to shift emotional experiences, clinical outcomes, and organizational ROI. Drawing on compelling research, real-world case studies, and proven implementation frameworks, this solo deep dive explores how design can reduce fear and foster healing.

🧱 What You'll Learn:

The Psychology of Pediatric Spaces: How spatial stressors heighten anxiety—and how design can ease it

ROI of Thoughtful Design: Learn how pediatric-friendly environments reduce length of stay and boost satisfaction

Three Design Pillars for Pediatric Excellence:

Play-Centric Spatial Programming – From themed corridors to sensory alcoves and narrative wayfinding

Integrated Interactive Technologies – Including projection mapping and AR murals to engage young minds

Family-Centric Support Zones – With adaptable rooms, sibling-friendly lounges, and outdoor healing spaces

Featured Stats & Case Examples:

15% average reduction in Length of Stay with pediatric-first design

40% decrease in wayfinding incidents using narrative elements

35% increase in literacy engagement with AR wall installations

25% drop in reported familial stress from dedicated family lounges

Who Should Listen:

This episode is designed for:

Healthcare system leaders and project sponsors

Pediatric facility planners and healthcare architects

Design-build teams working on pediatric renovations or new construction

Connect With Us:

Ready to bring healing and joy into your next pediatric project?

Let’s collaborate → www.linkedin.com/in/adelowo-adeyemi-arcon-edac-leed-ga-887493ab

In this deeply human-centered episode, host [Your Name] explores how thoughtful design can honor dignity at life’s end. From the clinical constraints of acute-care settings to the empathic principles of hospice philosophy, we unpack key strategies—comfort, privacy, nature, and cultural respect—that transform spaces into sanctuaries. Featuring real-world examples like the Zen Hospice Project and Rowcroft Hospice, this conversation invites architects, caregivers, policy-makers, and families to advocate for environments that speak of safety, love, and presence.

In This Episode

Intro & Trigger Warning

Welcome & gentle reminder to honor your emotional space

Confronting the Reality of End-of-Life Spaces

How typical hospital environments can feel disorienting and impersonal

Reframing death as a meaningful, universal passage

The Shift in Hospice Philosophy

Hospice: comfort over cure, presence over procedure

Excerpt from Dr. Susan Cheng on palliative-care principles

Design Principles for Dignified End-of-Life Spaces

Comfort & Familiarity

Privacy & Autonomy

Connection to Nature

Spaces for Families & Shared Grief

Cultural & Spiritual Respect

Real-World Inspirations

Zen Hospice Project (San Francisco)

Rowcroft Hospice (Devon, UK)

Maggie’s Centres (UK cancer-support network)

Call to Action

How designers, healthcare leaders, and families can advocate for dignified spaces

Closing & Resources

Invitation to share the episode and visit [your website] for further reading

Key Takeaways

Design Matters: Environments shape emotional and spiritual well-being as powerfully as medical interventions.

Human-Centered Philosophy: Hospice care’s ethos must be reflected in every material, layout decision, and amenity.

Personalization Empowers: Small choices—lighting, décor, scents—reaffirm autonomy at life’s end.

Nature Heals: Biophilic elements reduce stress and foster connection, even in clinical settings.

Cultural Sensitivity: Flexible, neutral spaces allow families to honor diverse end-of-life rituals.

Resources & Links

Zen Hospice Project (Legacy & Design Insights)

Rowcroft Hospice (Garden Therapy & Family Spaces)

Maggie’s Centres (Empathy-Driven Architecture)

Palliative-Care Guidelines, National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO)

Connect with Us

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/106086522/admin/dashboard/

Thank you for listening. Your feedback helps us create more healing conversations—share your thoughts, stories, or questions anytime!