APPlied research

Great design starts with deep curiosity—to gain empathy, to break out of  norms and to test creative intuition. Research is not an end in itself,  but a means by which we create better buildings.

Our commercial and healthcare facility designs include dedicated spaces for staff breaks which are designed to help lower  levels of arousal fatigue and staff burnout, including private outdoor  patios for caregivers to recharge. The building’s garden-like,  indoor-outdoor environment also provides more relaxing, natural settings  for caregivers to work in.

We can create models that simulate what clinic spaces would look like to all patients. Together,  these research techniques can be essential to support an empathetic design  process that result in targeted design solutions to create an  intuitive and visually comfortable environment.

The Barbados Healthcare Campus (featured in this model) will be one of the Caribbean's largest healthcare buildings to use cross-laminated timber  (CLT), a sustainable, low-cost engineered wood which imbues the center’s  interiors with a comforting, natural feel. With floor-to-ceiling  windows framing views oriented towards the facility's extensive outdoor  green space—which includes flowing water that winds its way through the  site, an outdoor amphitheater for group courses and performances, and  walking paths and gardens—the design will provide ample opportunity for  people to connect with nature.

Our Team considers acoustics as well in our healthcare design strategies, as patients with eye conditions and  patients undergoing dilation can be more sensitive to sound. Playful  acoustic panels in sub-waiting zones and in the cafe are inspired by  ophthalmological “visual field” diagrams. Seating areas  can also feature a dividing wall that creates quiet and active zones, and  even hosts a whimsical child-sized opening for young patients to  explore.

For our Hospital and Healthcare facility designs, we include a restorative garden adjacent to the clinic drop-off to encourage a  multi-sensory experience for patients and their loved ones via  textural changes and a tactile wall.  Landscape elements are also  selected to build on other senses in lieu of vision. The garden design includes  a diverse array of fragrant and tactile plants to provide sensory  interest—as well as welcoming familiarity—throughout the year. In  addition, our team creates a barrier-free entry, while selected materials are specified to enhance visibility. For instance, we tend to recommend using a  darker than typical sand finish to reduce glare and light levels for  patients.

For unique patient populations, rethinking the design process, not just  the outcome, can transform patient care. Empathic design positively impacts the patient  experience. To create a clinic that is  thoughtful, responsive and uplifting, our design team develops an  innovative computer simulation process to help visualize how patients  with different conditions might react to spatial influences. We use such valuable insights to inform the design, from the use of high-contrast  colors and bold graphics to dimmable lighting and a sensory-rich arrival  experience. The result is a clinic that better responds to patients’ needs.

Muli Designs harvests insights from social  science, neuroscience, materials science and other fields to improve the  design of buildings and cities. Contact us to learn more about each of our research  initiatives. Because science and creative intuition are harmonious partners, we apply research to every aspect of our Architecture approach. 

Acoustics  are one of the major contributors to a building’s overall health,  especially in workplace and healthcare environments. In the workplace,  noise pollution leads to decreased productivity and satisfaction, while  in hospitals, noise negatively impacts both patient recovery and staff  performance. To reduce noise, we consider solutions that counteract the  sound of the human voice and promote an atmosphere of rest and focus to  create a healthier and more productive space for work and healing.