Gresham Smith is pleased to announce that Healthcare Design Researcher Dagmar Bachmann, MID, CKBD, and Healthcare Research Analyst Tatiana Orozco will present at the 57th annual conference of the Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA), hosted on the UMass Amherst campus in Amherst, Massachusetts. The event will take place Wednesday, May 27, through Saturday, May 30.
Bachmann and Orozco will lead a session on Thursday, May 28, titled “Beyond the Basics: Using a Multi-Method Post-Occupancy Evaluation to Inform Prototype Design for Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities.” Their presentation Their presentation distills findings from a mixed‑methods post‑occupancy evaluation across two inpatient rehabilitation facilities, examining how design affects performance, efficiency and care quality. The research identifies opportunities to strengthen staff workflows, collaboration and patient experience, with recommendations centered on ergonomic workspaces, decentralized care models and more supportive therapeutic environments. These insights inform the development of adaptable, efficient and patient‑centered rehabilitation prototypes.
Recognized as one of the nation’s largest gatherings focused on environmental and design research, EDRA 57 will convene interdisciplinary researchers, practitioners, educators and students committed to advancing people‑place relationships through design and inquiry. The 2026 conference theme, “Embracing Regional Sustainability: Networks for People and Places,” underscores the growing importance of regional thinking as social, political and environmental challenges become increasingly complex. The program will explore how sustainable design must respond to local ecologies, cultures and networks while remaining connected to broader global systems. Register for the conference here.
