From Nurse to Architectural Innovator: A Unique Blend of Compassion and Design.

For the past three years, Sarah Langille, M.Arch, BSN, Assoc. AIA has been making waves at LaBella Associates, a full-service Architecture and Engineering Firm, as a Project Designer in both the Healthcare and Senior Living Architecture Studios. With a diverse background that includes a previous career as a Registered Nurse in both hospital and long-term care settings, Sarah brings a wealth of experience and empathy to the design table. Her journey at LaBella has seen her contribute to a variety of projects, including VA projects, clinics, senior living homes, hospitals, facility master planning, and adaptive reuse projects.

Sarah Langille, M.Arch, BSN, Assoc. AIA

A Serendipitous Opportunity.

The transition from nursing to architecture was serendipitous. While volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, Sarah learned about the role at LaBella from a colleague. Freshly graduated from the University at Buffalo with a Master’s Degree in Architecture, she part of a special 3.5-year M.Arch program designed for students with a non-architecture Bachelor’s degree. During her studies, she focused on Universal Design, aiming to create environments that cater to everyone. Her background in nursing provided a unique perspective, enabling her to design spaces that positively impacted the people who used them, regardless of the project type.

Bringing the Clinician's Voice to Design.

One of the most significant contributions Sarah has made at LaBella is bringing the voice of the clinician to the design team. Her hands-on experience in healthcare environments allows her to advocate for designs that create the best environments for care and clinicians. With Sarah presenting narratives that explain why certain design choices are beneficial, she helps the team develop designs that are safe, efficient, and conducive to positive outcomes for both patients and staff. This ability to integrate real-world clinical experience into architectural design has proven invaluable.

The Importance of Empathetic Healthcare Environments.

The importance of empathetic healthcare environments cannot be overstated, and Sarah is a staunch advocate for them. She believes that environments designed to promote wellness, social participation, healing, and inclusivity are essential. For clinicians, thoughtful design choices like adding stools to wall-mounted computer workstations or providing communal work areas can significantly reduce fatigue and isolation. For patients, elements such as additional spaces for personal items, closets, and sleeper sofas for family members can create a more empathetic and supportive care environment.

A Champion for Nurses in Design.

Joining the Nursing Institute for Healthcare Design (NIHD) was a natural step for Sarah, who believes that nurses play a crucial role in the built environment. She asserts that without nurses at the decision-making table, healthcare environments cannot reach their full potential. Nurses, with their intimate knowledge of patients and their needs, are essential to advancing healthcare environments. Sarah’s dedication to including nurses in the design process underscores her commitment to creating spaces that truly serve the needs of patients and healthcare providers alike.

Sarah is a remarkable individual, and her work at LaBella Associates exemplifies the powerful impact that a background in healthcare can have on architectural design. Her unique blend of compassion, experience, and design expertise continues to shape healthcare environments that promote healing, inclusivity, and well-being for all.  Welcome to NIHD Sarah, we are glad to have you as a part of the ‘family’!

NIHD collaborates with clinicians, design professionals and industry partners in the healthcare design process to shape the future of healthcare design.