Recognizing that hospitals can be such uncomfortable places for adults to visit that attempts have been made to make them more pleasant and welcoming environments, Integrated field explored what might be possible to do the same for children.
With children’s mindset, design approach is to make EKH CHILDREN HOSPITAL a ‘fun’ place by locating a giant slider situated right at the front of the entrance hall, transforming the waiting area of each clinic into a playground including indoor swimming pool. The element consequently creates friendly, warm and safe environment to the children as well as the other visitors.
The children dimension is created using various physical shapes, colors and symbols materialized from design
language that is made up of delicately curved lines and deliberately avoids the perfect geometric forms. Curved
lines are formed into the arches constructed above the doorways and seating areas with the sizes calculated to correspond with children’s body proportion, creating a built environment that truly accommodates children’s
behaviors and preferences. The pastel color tone is used to encourage children’s use of imagination.
A scenario is designed and constructed near the pharmacy counter as a part of the layout of the ‘waiting area’, which embraces the ‘play space’. The program enables interactions between parents and children while allowing the adults to watch over their little ones during the wait. The use of indirect light with all the hallways of the hospital ensures that young patients won’t be disturbed by discomfort of excessive brightness.
Hospital offers four room types with friendly names of Whale, Turtle, Lion and Rabbit Constellation. Each room is
decorated in a different color and installed above the bed is a glow-in-the-dark constellation with a customized lamp to provide both a standard lighting and level of illumination that is suitable for a good night’s sleep.
Credits:
- Lighting Designer - Nopporn Sakulwigitsinthu
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