Hospital interior design isn’t just a matter of speed, safety and efficiency, although those are vital considerations. It’s also a huge influence on how people respond to treatment, and how they heal, how hospital staff deal with stress, and even how visitors view the treatment and healing of the people they visit. Simply put, hospital interior design can positively impact the lives of everybody who enters the hospital.
Traditional hospital planning, especially emergency room design, was based purely on the efficiency of operation, but increasingly, such design is focusing also on how to create welcoming, comfortable spaces that encourage more tranquil moods and better interactions between patients and clinicians.
Global examples of hospital interior design
All around the world, there are stunning examples of how hospital interior design can be effective and support healing. In Rwanda, the Butaro District Hospital has been designed to send patients home faster by using cross ventilation as part of the design and by choosing local materials like volcanic rock, to make patients feel at home and even boost local industries. Hospital wall art that references local beauty spots can make people feel ‘at home’ and give them something attractive and calming to focus on in times of stress. Such images actually reduce cortisol levels, which mean people can heal more quickly. In Haiti, a cholera treatment centre has a facade created by local metalworkers while local carpenters designed and made furniture specifically to be comfortable to those with cholera.
Investing in a solid graphic design brief pays many dividends. At our Leeds printing company, we’ve seen that time and again, a good brief leads to great custom wall graphics which in turn leads to a stronger school identity. This creates a better understanding of values, higher confidence and more engagement in the curriculum.
Using signage to help hospital performance
Any treatment facility that puts the needs of its users first will tend to do things differently. Signage and directional information, for example, should be produced with visitors in mind, rather than the needs of the knowledgeable staff! Waiting areas impact all hospital visitors, and if they are like a labyrinth, they confuse and frustrate new arrivals. If signs seem to suggest that they are designed to make life more difficult rather than easier, patients and their families arrive at the clinician in a hostile, negative frame of mind. However, if hospital corridor design is welcoming and clear and it makes people feel at home, then patients are likely to be relaxed and receptive when they meet their clinician. Clear direction markers, such as floor decals, can also help deliver safety in case of emergencies, where locating stairs, lifts and fire exits is absolutely vital.
Colour psychology for hospital design
Colour is also a major consideration, as is light. To brighten a patient’s healthcare experience, the colour choice should be carefully considered. Red raises the blood pressure, which makes it a bad idea for bedrooms and clinical areas, however, wall art with flashes of red might be ideal in a hospital gym or physio area, where people are being encouraged to increase their pulse and heart rates. Green and blue tend to calm people and can be used to inspire relaxed responses. Light matters too – natural light promotes healing. Patients recovered from surgery quicker and had less negative responses to their treatment if they had a view of nature. Of course, that isn’t always possible, especially in older buildings, and this is where window decals can make a huge difference to patient experience, by giving them something uplifting to look at as they recover.
How Inspired Visual can help…
Ready to boost your hospitals’ appearance, environment and patient experience? Just contact us today to begin the process that leads to a revitalised hospital, via a great custom wall graphics brief. Our team of expert hospital graphic designers and installers can help you update your healthcare setting. We work with you every step of the way to ensure you are aware of all the options available to you and end up with a solution that is perfect for your needs. We have vast experience and understand the importance of healthcare graphics, please view our case studies for examples of our past work. Simply contact us or use the below form and one of the team will be in touch with you.