FECUND
YEAR & TIMELINE
2015 | 3 months
CLIENT
Harborview Medical Center
ROLE
Illustration | Design
COLLABORATORS
Tory Franklin
TOOLS
Illustrator| Photoshop
MEDIUM
Vinyl on Windows
DIMENSIONS
6' x 74'
Harborview Medical Center is located in Seattle, Washington. My sister Tory Franklin and I were commissioned to design a vinyl mural for a skybridge connecting the West wing to the main hospital.
CHALLENGE
Harborview Medical Center wanted to address a problematic design issue–that exam rooms in an adjacent building were visible from this sky bridge which caused privacy issues.
SOLUTION
A vinyl window application obscures the view and enhances the patient and worker experience. The hospital serves a diverse patient population from around the globe so it was crucial to make everyone feel welcome. Our design combines plants found throughout the world and patterns derived from the cultures that are most prominent in the patient population.
AUDIENCE
The three main audiences that use this sky bridge are the inpatient psychiatric population, hospital workers, and students at this teaching hospital who often eat lunch in this quiet area lined with seating. While the patient population does not spend as much time in this space, they are a priority audience.
The patient population is diverse and speaks many languages. Harborview Medical Center mainly serves patients living in Washington but because it is a level 1 trauma and burn center, it also serves patients living in Alaska, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana.
RESEARCH
Creating a calming environment was especially important for the patients. Many studies have explored the use of natural imagery on patients in hospital settings. Our review of the research showed that images of nature reduce the heart rate and create a tranquil state. Natural fractals (symmetrical and ever-expanding designs found in nature) help us make order out of chaos, which creates a calming effect. This also benefits medical personnel who are often under job-related stress and can suffer burnout.
AREAS OF ACTIVATION
Hospital staff and students interact with this piece on a daily basis so Tory and I created a design that has many points of activation, creating a constant sense of discovery. The piece has a different visual impact whether the audience views it from down the hallway or sitting directly next to the textured patterns. The all over pattern effectively obscures the windows in the adjacent building.