Zahra Zamani
Director of ResearchBSADr. Zahra Zamani, currently serving as the Director of Research at BSA LifeStructures, brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the realm of design research and architecture. With over a decade of dedicated practice, Dr. Zamani specializes in pioneering innovative solutions tailored for healthcare environments and patient care spaces.
Her passion for pushing the boundaries of design has positioned her as a central figure within architecture and planning teams. Under her leadership, Dr. Zamani is spearheading efforts to shape the future of healthcare environments.
E10 – Evidence from the Field: POE-Informed Strategies for Hospital Expansion
As healthcare campuses expand to meet growing community demand, understanding how existing facilities perform in practice is essential to making infor…As healthcare campuses expand to meet growing community demand, understanding how existing facilities perform in practice is essential to making informed, future-ready design decisions. Post-occupancy evaluation (POE) provides a critical feedback loo…As healthcare campuses expand to meet growing community demand, understanding how existing facilities perform in practice is essential to making informed, future-ready design decisions. Post-occupancy evaluation (POE) provides a critical feedback loop, allowing organizations to assess how spatial design impacts staff workflows, safety, environmental comfort, and overall operational performance. This session presents findings from a comprehensive,…As healthcare campuses expand to meet growing community demand, understanding how existing facilities perform in practice is essential to making informed, future-ready design decisions. Post-occupancy evaluation (POE) provides a critical feedback loop, allowing organizations to assess how spatial design impacts staff workflows, safety, environmental comfort, and overall operational performance. This session presents findings from a comprehensive, multi-method POE conducted at UNC Johnston Health and demonstrates how the results directly informed planning priorities for campus expansion and renovation efforts. The POE evaluated five clinical departments—Labor & Delivery, Postpartum, ICU & PCU, Med-Surg, and Nursery—using staff surveys, walkthroughs, spatial analysis, and open-ended feedback. Across departments, findings revealed consistent themes related to staff work area functionality, visibility and adjacency for patient monitoring, adequacy of support spaces, and the impact of storage, equipment placement, and circulation on workflow efficiency. While patient room size and overall unit layout were frequently cited as strengths, staff satisfaction was negatively affected by undersized nurse stations, limited charting privacy, poorly located restrooms, inadequate staff amenities, and inconsistent zoning of clean and soiled supplies. Department-specific insights highlighted how localized design decisions can have system-wide operational consequences. In Labor & Delivery and Postpartum units, nurse station configuration, lighting quality, and charting orientation influenced teamwork and patient visibility. In ICU, PCU, and Med-Surg units, staff amenities, equipment access, pneumatic tube placement, and lift availability affected efficiency, safety, and staff well-being. In the Nursery, the square footage and outdated infrastructure constrained limited clinical functionality and emergency preparedness. The presentation translates these findings into actionable design strategies, illustrating how POE-informed recommendations—such as optimizing staff work zones, improving storage and equipment planning, enhancing staff amenities, and clarifying circulation—can improve performance while supporting future growth. Show MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More
E20 – Research‑Informed Design for Equitable, High‑Performance Clinics
As outpatient and ambulatory care continues to expand, public and safety-net clinics face growing pressure to deliver efficient, dignified, and equita…As outpatient and ambulatory care continues to expand, public and safety-net clinics face growing pressure to deliver efficient, dignified, and equitable care within constrained footprints and evolving service models. These challenges are particularl…As outpatient and ambulatory care continues to expand, public and safety-net clinics face growing pressure to deliver efficient, dignified, and equitable care within constrained footprints and evolving service models. These challenges are particularly acute in regions such as Central Texas, where rapid population growth and persistent healthcare disparities place significant demands on federally qualified public health facilities. Yet many outpat…As outpatient and ambulatory care continues to expand, public and safety-net clinics face growing pressure to deliver efficient, dignified, and equitable care within constrained footprints and evolving service models. These challenges are particularly acute in regions such as Central Texas, where rapid population growth and persistent healthcare disparities place significant demands on federally qualified public health facilities. Yet many outpatient environments remain designed around assumptions of use rather than evidence of actual behavior. This session presents a research-informed approach to outpatient clinic design and illustrates how empirical findings informed the Hancock project, a large federally qualified public health facility addressing critical access gaps in Central Texas. The underlying study evaluated the real-world performance of outpatient clinic environments across four facilities within a single healthcare system using a mixed-methods approach. Observational studies, staff and patient feedback, and targeted statistical analysis were used to examine patient movement, waiting behavior, staff workflow, and perceptions of privacy, comfort, and efficiency. Findings were synthesized to identify recurring spatial and operational challenges common to high-volume outpatient settings. Results revealed consistent misalignment between design intent and use. Corridors frequently functioned as waiting areas, activity clustered near check-in and laboratory zones, and patients experienced repeated movement between exam rooms, scales, and waiting spaces—contributing to congestion, privacy risks, and inefficiencies. Key predictors of improved patient and companion experience included noninstitutional character, acoustic quality, and appropriately sized waiting areas. Reduced staff travel distances, privacy at workstations, and adequate staff workspace were strongly associated with perceived care efficiency.Show MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More
E52 – Built to Flex: Using Prototype Modules to Future-Proof Ambulatory Clinic
As ambulatory care delivery evolves, healthcare systems must design clinic environments that adapt to shifting specialties, care models, and operation…As ambulatory care delivery evolves, healthcare systems must design clinic environments that adapt to shifting specialties, care models, and operational demands without repeated renovation. Houston Methodist’s new Cinco Ranch and Spring Comprehensive…As ambulatory care delivery evolves, healthcare systems must design clinic environments that adapt to shifting specialties, care models, and operational demands without repeated renovation. Houston Methodist’s new Cinco Ranch and Spring Comprehensive Care Center models were developed as part of a systemwide ambulatory strategy in partnership with BSA, using prototype clinic modules as the primary mechanism for embedding flexibility into the built…As ambulatory care delivery evolves, healthcare systems must design clinic environments that adapt to shifting specialties, care models, and operational demands without repeated renovation. Houston Methodist’s new Cinco Ranch and Spring Comprehensive Care Center models were developed as part of a systemwide ambulatory strategy in partnership with BSA, using prototype clinic modules as the primary mechanism for embedding flexibility into the built environment. The modular framework established a consistent planning logic for exam rooms, team work areas, shared support spaces, and circulation, while allowing clinics to flex by specialty, staffing model, and patient volume. Modules were intentionally designed to support multiple scenarios, enabling clinics to transition over time with minimal physical modification. Simulation modeling, full-scale mockups, and stakeholder engagement were used to test performance under varying operational conditions, including peak volumes, cross-coverage staffing, and vertical stacking. Deploying the modular strategy across both projects revealed critical lessons, including aligning module dimensions with staffing ratios, strategically locating shared support spaces, and balancing standardization with targeted customization. This session shares practical insights into designing, testing, and refining clinic modules as adaptable systems, offering transferable strategies that support long-term flexibility, operational resilience, and consistent, safe performance across ambulatory environments. Show MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More
