A Architect Mirela Pilon Pessatti proposes in her master's thesis, presented at the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FCM), new ways of directing discussions about interventions in the physical space in health units in general. For Mirela, working in the consultancy area of ​​the Ministry of Health in the National Humanization Policy, both the architectural professional and the health manager should opt for the inclusion of the different knowledge of health workers and users in the spatial intervention processes. “This is a challenge, but I defend the model based on incorporating the knowledge of the various agents in the process. The way these discussions occur, in some places there is no room for change,” she notes.

In the study, guided by professor Sérgio Resende Carvalho, the architect starts from a series of episodes in which the model discussed was adopted and, therefore, achieved positive results. In a physical intervention in an emergency room, for example, listening to all the people relevant to that area, enabled a better proposal for expansion and also changes in the activities carried out. Another case refers to the discussion of changes in the organization of Family Health Units in the State of Rio de Janeiro. “Even the work processes and the workers’ own practices were addressed in the scheme. The discussions resulted in the construction of sketches for the necessary spatial arrangements and a lot of enthusiasm to carry out the project”, she explains.

In Belo Horizonte, the work developed in a general hospital included the participation of the user community in the discussion and co-production process. “In this type of process, information from managers and workers provides support for discussions with the architect, instrumentalizing him and allowing workers and users to participate in the process actively”, he argues.

From the development of ambiance workshops, Mirela found the way to base her proposals. In this space, according to her, there would be conditions for creation and freedom of expression not only for spatial interventions, but also for rethinking health practices in its various sectors. “The ambience workshops are a proposal that encompasses the co-production of physical space in healthcare and it is not a closed discussion, but rather the beginning of a collective construction”, she explains.

In her research, the architect also draws attention to a little explored professional field. For her, the job market in this area is marked by limitations, since there are Health Surveillance standards and rules for the sector, discussed in the research. But even so, Mirela believes in the potential for creation. “It is a field to be explored and which is not covered in higher education institutions. My work aims precisely to break down barriers and open discussions”, she concludes.