Analysis of the perception of users of pre-hospital architecture in Light Steel Frame : a case study in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Abstract

The quality of many physical spaces can be achieved from the use of a flexible architecture. Understanding whether such a building has acceptable comfort conditions, adequate division of its internal spaces, efficiency of functionality, can be possible by consulting its own users/employees, analyzing and considering one of the basic concepts for architectural spatial design: people and environments are inseparable and cannot be thought out separately. Therefore, the purpose of this case study is to analyze the perception of users and managers of three USP (Unidades de Saúde Públicas) (Public Health Units), built in the LSF (Light Steel Framing) system, in relation to the built environment and thus contribute to a reflection on health care architecture based on identified gaps. These Public Health Units in LSF are located in 3 (three) different cities in the interior of the state of Minas Gerais, in the southeastern region of Brazil. To this end, the development of the work is carried out through on-site interviews with users and managers. The answers of the questionnaires are analyzed with the help of the software SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences), version 19.0. The results show that the buildings present project inadequacies related to the performance of self-supporting closures, extensive to the presence of cracks and infiltrations and to some aspects related to environmental comfort. However, the hospital architecture produced with the LSF can allow flexibility, modifications and probably possible solutions to these issues.