In the latest episode of the Gensler Design Exchange, Tama Duffy Day, Gensler’s Firmwide Health & Wellness Practice Area Leader, talks to Dr. Mark Rowe, an Irish physician, educator, thought-leader, and author of “A Prescription for Happiness.” Mark’s three pillars for effective health care center around designing safer, quality experiences for patients, creating generative spaces where people can flourish, and fostering a culture of care for medical staff.
In 2009, Mark and his team opened the doors to the Waterford Health Park in Waterford City, Ireland. The facility — fully integrated within a 19th century convent designed by renowned architect Augustus Pugin — is a primary care center at the heart of its community. Its goal is to normalize the idea that health care facilities can be more than just stop-and-go destinations, but dynamic spaces for long-term community outreach.
The center’s initiatives, in fact, echo the guiding principle of the World Health Organization that “health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” By hosting walking groups, yoga classes, activities for the retired, breastfeeding support and much more, Waterford Health Park is redefining the health care experience for Waterford City locals, even those in typically underserved groups.
