Personal Space in Hospitals’ Waiting Areas: A Study of Spatial and Behavioural Changes Post-Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic emerged at a time when hospitals in Egypt were not designed to mitigate the spread of such a crisis, and no prior studies in Egypt have examined its impact on interpersonal distance (IPD) in healthcare settings. This study investigates how the pandemic has reshaped personal space dynamics in hospital waiting areas, employing Edward T. Hall’s Proxemics Theory to analyse shifts in users' spatial behaviours—including seating preferences, distancing practices, and movement patterns—in relation to safety and comfort. It examines discrepancies between pre-pandemic IPD norms and pandemic-induced distancing practices, while assessing architectural adaptations to these new spatial requirements. By combining visual analysis, behavioural mapping, and questionnaire data, the research identifies emerging proxemics norms and potential disparities between users' ideal interpersonal distance preferences and actual spatial practices. The findings contribute to understanding pandemic-driven shifts in spatial behaviour and offer evidence-based design strategies to balance infection control with user comfort in hospital waiting areas, ultimately proposing approaches that prioritize public health and wellbeing in healthcare environments.