Designed for healing: ‘Architecture for health’ shapes the future of health care spaces

In a time when health care systems are under pressure to be safer, more efficient and more compassionate, one program at Texas A&M University is leading the charge, not just with ideas, but with action.

The Architecture for Health group is transforming how health facilities are designed, using evidence-based research and immersive learning to create environments that truly support healing.

“Design impacts healing,” said Dr. Roxana Jafari, assistant professor of architecture and program director. “The environment plays a critical role in health outcomes, but it’s often overlooked. We’re working to change that.”

The program is a living lab for innovation. Students create full-scale health care environment mockups, testing layouts, workflows and design choices in real-time with medical professionals. These mockups allow clinicians to test spaces before construction. AI-driven simulations track behavior and improve safety.

View a video showing a mockup in action.

Real Impact

In a graduate-level health care design studio led by Jafari, students collaborated with Page, a national architecture firm, to develop design iterations for an ambulatory orthopedic surgery center, receiving direct feedback from the firm’s design team to optimize the operating room for orthopedic procedures.

And the program’s reach extends well beyond its home state. One recent example was an initiative in Rwanda, co-hosted by the Rwanda Children Educational Foundation, where Texas A&M students collaborated with health care professionals and local partners to design a maternity center in the rural village of Ruli. The multidisciplinary project focused on creating a culturally responsive, sustainable facility that supports maternal and infant health. Students traveled to Rwanda to conduct site visits, engage with community members and refine their designs based on real-world needs.

“We’re not just teaching architecture,” said Jafari. “We’re teaching students how to design for people.”

Jafari’s own research is a testament to the power of design. Inspired by her mother’s battle with heart disease, she studied ICU environments while obtaining her Ph.D. and discovered that patients in rooms with windows recovered faster — staying, on average, one day less than those in windowless rooms.

Decades Of Creating Healing Spaces

Founded more than 45 years ago, the Architecture for Health program was one of the first in the nation to focus on health care environments. Today, it continues to set the standard, offering students hands-on experience with top firms like HKS, HDR and Stantec — many of which are on the program’s Health Industry Advisory Council.

Each year, 20 to 30 students participate, with many earning a graduate certificate in health systems and design. But the program’s influence extends beyond hospitals. Its emphasis on wellness, human factors and user-centered design prepares students for careers in aviation, residential design and other fields where people and environments intersect.

As the program approaches its fifth decade, Jafari is focused on expanding its reach. This summer, students are evaluating a sensory room prototype designed to reduce stress and anxiety, part of a growing emphasis on mental health and student well-being. Future projects will explore how AI, immersive environments and interdisciplinary collaboration can shape the next generation of health care spaces.

“I’ve worked with students at several institutions, and I’m constantly impressed by the talent and dedication of Aggies,” Jafari said. “They’re not just learning to design buildings, they’re motivated to design for healing.”

By Lesley Henton, Texas A&M University Division of Marketing and Communications

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