Integrating disaster-response capabilities into refuge spaces in high-rise provincial general hospitals in Vietnam: an architectural approach

Tóm tắt

The increasing trend of constructing high-rise provincial general hospitals in Vietnam poses new challenges for emergency preparedness, especially in the context of fire safety and disaster response. In accordance with QCVN 06:2022/BXD, buildings exceeding 100 meters in height are required to include designated refuge floors [1]. However, these spaces are typically treated as passive fire-safety zones and remain underutilized in broader emergency planning. This paper explores the potential of transforming such mandatory refuge areas into multifunctional spaces that contribute to disaster-response capabilities within hospital infrastructure. Employing an architecture-centered, interdisciplinary approach, the study redefines refuge space design to integrate basic healthcare functions such as triage, emergency coordination, and short-term patient holding. The proposed model addresses spatial, technical, and organizational criteria while remaining compatible with current regulatory frameworks. The study concludes that integrated refuge spaces can enhance hospital resilience without significant additional cost or structural modification. This rethinking of spatial design offers a promising pathway for embedding disaster-readiness into high-rise healthcare facilities, especially in rapidly urbanizing provincial contexts.