The innovative use of technology is constantly evolving and producing new and exciting ways to make our lives a little easier and change the way we interact with the interior environment. An area where this has been used successfully is in the healthcare environment, particularly in paediatrics where technology has been used effectively to enhance patient experience. One example of this is the Nature Trail designed by Jason Bruges studio for Great Ormond Street hospital. The project uses bespoke design graphic wallpaper and LED panels which are embedded with LED lights to create a nature trail that runs along the corridor. The aim of the installation is to create a calming effect for children on the way to theatre. The installation works by creating roaming forest animals such as deer, hedgehogs, birds and foxes which emerges between the forest trees and foliage. 70 LED panels were used with a total of 72 000 lights.
A similar concept was also applied by FKP Architects at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Ohio where nature was also used to create an engaging space with each floor given a unique theme to help with wayfinding. In the project the lights of the forest change, animated videos of woodland creatures are projected on the walls and floors where wayfinding is achieved in the paths on the floor.
At the Lusiadas hospital in Portugal, Enigma has produced an interactive wall for children where they can play the hide and seek game with the hospital mascot Vascot or try to keep the rocket in the air. There is an interactive floor where children play a memory game, swim in the sea and play with fishes just by moving around.
Away from the health care sector interiors, the extent to which technology is being used to continue to explore the way in which we interact with our interior environment. This is being used to create more and more sophisticated digital environments. This can be seen in other projects such as in the West Lobby of the Cosmopolitan hotel in Las Vegas or the custom interactive light walls and furniture produced by NunoErin.
References
MONTGOMERY, A. (2012) Great Ormond St Interactive Animal wall. Design Week, 14TH Dec Available from: http://www.designweek.co.uk.
KOVACS SILVIS, J. (2013) Best of 2013: Children’s hospital design grows up. Healthcare Design, 23rd December Available from: http://healthcaredesignmagazine.com
EDIGMA.COM (n.d) Lusiadas hospital [online] Avialable from: http://www.edigma.com Accessed [20/01/2014].
