This study found that the built env

This study found that the built environment—both from theoretical and user-centered perspectives—can contribute to a sense of home in nursing homes. The study introduced a novel and reliable overview that evaluates the impact of architectural programming and design in creating a sense of home in nursing homes. The sense of home is composed of different scale levels, from the connection with outdoors to the quality of furniture and architectural layout of the room. A particular apartment was refurbished to demon- strate how the architectural themes are operationalized and to connect both data sets in architectural practice. The construction of demonstration dwellings stimulates the discussion and education on the role of architectural features in supporting adequate healthcare and improving the quality of living at an old age (van Hoof and Kort, 2009; van Hoof et al., 2013). The retrofitting of the apartment is an example of how scientific research results are translated into an actual architectural design, and is therefore an example of integrated and evidence-based design (van Hoof et al., 2015b). Through the evidence-based design, archi- tects can bridge the gap between the realms of evidence- based healthcare and architecture. The Center for Health Design (2017) defines evidence-based design as “the process of basing decisions about the built environment on credible research to achieve the best possible outcomes.”