Ever since the emergence of germ theory in the late 19th century, hospital design has focused on creating spaces that feel as antiseptic and institutional as possible. That approach may have helped boost public trust in the medical system in the last 100 years, but now all those sterile white surfaces and long, echoing corridors full of beeping machines have come to feel impersonal, even uncaring. A new hospital design by architect Renzo Piano, developed in collaboration with the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), aims to bring a sense of humanity back to the healthcare system with healing gardens, tranquil outdoor spaces, and flexible layouts.

This philosophy is rooted in three core values: the therapeutic power of nature, environmental sustainability, and medical excellence paired with holistic patient-centric care. That translates to spaces and practices that provide privacy, personalized care, direct connection to the outdoors, and room to grow so hospitals can avoid stagnancy by keeping up with changing needs and ideas. Piano’s designs are all similar in their appearance, featuring long rectangular buildings topped with overhanging flat roofs covered with solar panels. These visible structures host clinical centers, while other buildings tucked into the surrounding hillsides contain labs and other technical facilities.
Healing gardens have become more common in medical settings in recent years, mostly for the benefit of patients. But doctors, nurses, and other...