A windowless patient room was a shocking proposal in the 1940s, according to an article on the Smithsonian website. It went against the prevailing opinion of what a healthcare facility should be.
Hospital designers previously had based their layouts on the idea that hospital spaces required direct access to sunlight and fresh air.
This rule was the product of a centuries-old belief that disease could be spread by dark, stagnant spaces. Before the 20th century, every room within a hospital typically had access to the outdoors. Corridors and linen closets had windows.
But the population of hospitals changed in the first decades of the 20th century. They were no longer retreats for the wealthy. People of all classes could get cutting-edge treatment. These changes shed light on the limitations of the earlier “therapeutic” hospital design.
Inside One of Healthcare's Most Ambitious Hospital Projects 
Turning Condensate Loss into a Systemwide Steam Efficiency Opportunity
The Leapfrog Group Publishes 2026 Ratings for Hospitals and ASCs
Going Solar with No Upfront Costs
Northwell Health Finds Energy Savings in Steam Systems