The Impact of Physical Design on Social Health: A Mixed-Methods Case Study of the Hamedan Rehabilitation and Correctional Center

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Department of Architecture, Faculty of Dr. Ali Eqbali Sustainable Development, University College of Omran Toseeh, Hamedan, Iran.

Abstract

The physical design of rehabilitation and correctional environments can influence social interaction, perceived safety, and psychological well-being. However, empirical evidence on how specific architectural features affect social health in such settings, particularly in the Iranian context, remains limited. This study examined the relationship between spatial design and social health in the Hamedan Rehabilitation and Correctional Center using a mixed-methods case study approach. Data were collected through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews and analyzed using SPSS alongside qualitative thematic analysis. The findings indicate that several design features, including spatial organization, functional efficiency, access to natural elements, and opportunities for social interaction, were positively associated with improved psychological and social conditions among users. Participants identified poor spatial quality and limited environmental responsiveness as factors contributing to stress and reduced social engagement, whereas well-designed spaces were linked to greater calmness, interaction, and perceived support. These results suggest that architectural design is not merely a physical framework but an active factor in promoting healthier social environments in rehabilitation settings. The study highlights the need for closer collaboration between architects, environmental psychologists, and policymakers in the design of correctional and rehabilitation centers. Incorporating socially responsive and culturally appropriate design principles may improve user well-being and support more effective rehabilitation outcomes.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

Anåker, A., Heylighen, A., Nordin, S., & Elf, M. (2017). Design quality in the context of healthcare environments: A scoping review. HERD, 10(4), 136–150. https://doi.org/10.1177/1937586716679404
Bierhoff, H. (2013). Desirable social behaviors (R. Sedghi, Trans.). Tehran: Golazin Publications.
Falahatpishe, M., Habibi, M., Sadeghi, M. S., & Shamshiri, M. (2016). A Phenomenological Research of the Lived Experiences of Runaway Girls Who Live in Correction and Rehabilitation Centre in Tehran about Subjective Experiences. SALĀMAT-I IJTIMĀĪ (Community Health), 2(3), 182–192. https://doi.org/10.22037/ch.v2i3.11146
Groen, S. (2024). Impact of architectural design on prisoners’ well-being and rehabilitation in the Netherlands. AR2A011 Architectural History Thesis MSc Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences, TU Delft.
Holt-Lunstad, J. (2024). Social connection as a critical factor for mental and physical health: evidence, trends, challenges, and future implications. World psychiatry: official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA), 23(3), 312–332. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.21224
Moran, Dominique & Jewkes, Yvonne. (2015). Linking the carceral and the punitive state: A review of research on prison architecture, design, technology and the lived experience of carceral space. Annales de géographie. 702-703. 163. 10.3917/ag.702.0163.
Jewkes, Y., Jordan, M., Wright, S., & Bendelow, G. (2019). Designing 'healthy' prisons for women: Incorporating trauma-informed care and practice (TICP) into prison planning and design. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(20), 3818. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16203818
Lennox, C., Stevenson, R., Owens, C., Byng, R., Brand, S. L., Maguire, M., Durcan, G., Stevenson, C., Shaw, J., & Quinn, C. (2021). Using multiple case studies of health and justice services to inform the development of a new complex intervention for prison-leavers with common mental health problems (Engager). Health & Justice, 9(1), 6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40352-021-00131-z
 López i Ferrer, A. (2019). Prison design and penal reform: A review of the literature. International Journal of Prisoner Health, 15(2), 123-136.
Mehdinejad, J., & Habibabad, A. S. (2018). Environmental psychology and health in architectural design: Past and present, guidance and analysis on the series of dynamic design topics.
Mir Kamali, S. A., & Hosseini, A. (2015). Correction and education center from the perspective of development-oriented prevention.
Mohseni, M. (2013). Fundamentals of social health. Tehran: Doran Publications.
Moradi, H. (2012). Studying the role of urban architecture and environmental design in preventing crime and urban anomalies in society. Paper presented at the Third International Conference on Civil Engineering, Architecture, Urban Planning with an Approach to Urban Infrastructure Development.
Morley, M. A. (n.d.). Biofilico: Designing for well-being.
Motamed,M. and Matin,M. (2020). Sociology of Public Spaces: Studying the Effects of Materialism on the Architecture’s Formation. Geography and Regional Planning, 10(3-1), 481-496.
Plugge, E., Douglas, N., & Fitzpatrick, R. (2016). The health needs of women prisoners: A review of the literature. Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology, 27(5), 631-646.
Prior, F., Coffey, M., Robins, A., & Cook, P. (2019). Long-Term health outcomes associated with an exercise referral scheme: An observational longitudinal follow-up study. Journal of physical activity & health, 16(4), 288–293. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2018-0442
Rice, L., & Drane, M. (2020). Indicators of healthy architecture: A systematic literature review. Journal of Urban Health: Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine, 97(6), 899–911. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-020-00469-z
San-Juan-Escudero, A., Ballesteros-Peña, S., Fernández-Aedo, I., Caballero Sánchez, S., Fernandez-Alonso, J., Gullón, P., Franco, M., & Gravina, L. (2025). Exploring urban design’s impact on physical activity: A participatory photovoice study across socioeconomically diverse neighborhoods. Landscape and Urban Planning.
Seddigh Sarvestani, R.​ (2018). Sociology of deviations. Tehran: Aan
Senior, J., Birmingham, L., Harty, M. A., Hassan, L., Hayes, A. J., Kendall, K., ... & Thornicroft, G. (2013). Identification and management of prisoners with severe psychiatric illness by specialist mental health services. Psychological Medicine, 43(7), 1511-1521.
World Health Organization. (n.d.). Constitution of the World Health Organization.
Yang, L., He, B., Cheng, L., Wang, R., & Ao, Y. (2023). Editorial: The physical environment and health: implications for the planning and management of healthy cities. Frontiers in public health, 11, 1245561. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1245561
 
Journal of Design Thinking
Volume 6, Issue 2
December 2025
Pages 335-349

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics