Many designers use the term “evidence-based design.” Unfortunately, people in positions to affect public well-being through design are too often presented with unsubstantiated opinions when what they need is credible and applicable evidence from rigorous research. The 2005 Latrobe Fellowship research team hypothesized that a collaborative approach would benefit evidence-based design by integrating the architect’s design experience, the academic researcher’s rigorous methodologies, and the client’s understanding of institutional decision-making. The team defined a question to test this model: How does lighting affect patient health in a hospital setting and is cultural background a significant variable? This session presents the results of the 2005 Latrobe Fellowship research.

   Learning objectives:

• Demonstrate through empirical research data that design attributes measurably affect human response and improve institutional performance
• Compare specific types of evidence, including biomedical, survey, and behavioral research, and define how and when to apply each when making complex design decisions
• Define roles for architects, clients, and university researchers in developing knowledge about design impacts on performance and create your own approach to evidence-based design