Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

PLANNING AND DESIGNING SUSTAINABLE EXTERNAL SPACES FOR THE TEACHING HOSPITAL BUILDING IN BASRA CITY, IRAQ

Samera Mohamed Salih Alsamraei and Zainab Noori Saleh Al-Asadi

Abstract

This research dealt with the issue of sustainability and its impact in providing a healthy environment for patients and their families from visitors and staff, through achieving the design of Biophilia with its elements of roofs and green walls where the research dealt with the concept of sustainability of hospital buildings and then to apply the concept of Biophilia which is an important aspect that we have not paid attention to it in our designs for these buildings. Although its importance in adding aesthetic to the building while providing a constructional structure for interacting the building with green walls or roofs to provide psychological comfort to users and to highlight the role of nature in the formation of the link between external spaces, facades, and roofs of buildings in hiding cracks and staying away from industrial covering. The importance of green walls or roofs in regulating temperatures, increasing shading, eliminating pollutants and reducing noise, thus increasing the energy efficiency of the building was reached. The results of the study explain to us the need of patients for nature through the landscapes to reduce stress and pain, helping him to breathe properly and creating an environment of relaxation and positively affect on the treatment. There was a desire to cultivate the walls of gardens and external spaces with flowering climbing plants, which is the most favored which agreed upon by most users and then followed by cultivating with aromatic flowering climbing plants. The researcher concluded to the necessity of integrating the building blocks with the open spaces through establishing the sustainable gardens to increase the appropriate space for Healing gardens, which has a key role in healing, bring natural light and fresh air to places of patient rest and ease of communication with nature, which helps to improve the status of patients. The researcher also emphasizes that the plans included in the appendices are designed in light of the wishes of the respondents for the purpose of reaching the best design decision.