Impact of Bimaristans Design on Design Factors of Therapeutic Buildings An Environmental Field Study in Makkah, Saudi Arabia

Paradise Garden is a concept used in Bimaristans Islamic historical therapeutic buildings which has given rise to the application of several spiritual and aesthetic meanings that helped to raise the efficiency of the therapeutic environment. The hypothesis revolves around the idea that the technological development increases the interest in the functional side rather than the aesthetic side in the current therapeutic buildings. This had a negative impact on the efficiency of the functional environment which exceeded to the satisfaction and comfort of the buildings’ users. This hypothesis has been tested through two types of studies: The first study was an ‘Analytical Study’ (of 4 hospitals) analyzing the horizontal projections to measure the effects of the natural lighting and ventilation. In the second study, questionnaires were distributed to both patients and staff in the therapeutic buildings to measure the therapeutic environment efficiency and the extent of satisfaction among of the buildings’ users. It was concluded that the natural lighting and ventilation drive up healing (treatment) rate in the therapeutic environment. This concluded that the technological advances in the medical field helped to raise the level of functional performance and thus replaced a large part of the role of the natural lighting and ventilation.