There Are Just Some Days When Everyone Wants to Be Outside

Posted by on Jul 1, 2016 in Behind the Design

Daylight (1)There are some days when everyone wants to be outside. And who can blame them? Controlled studies confirm that contact with the natural environment can alleviate stress, relax blood pressure, and even reduce the need for pain medication.

The Design Dilemma

As a healthcare designer, you know that most patients wont be able to frequent the great outdoors. Nurses and doctors also pull long shifts and seldom see the light of day for ten to twelve hours. This creates a dilemma for healthcare designers and hospital administrators who want to provide the best care in an optimum healing environment. 

Healthcare designers can do their best to use windows but some medical equipment has to be in fully enclosed rooms and many patient rooms don’t have access to windows.

When that is the case, it is up to the designer to think of creative ways to bring the outdoors in.

Bring the Outdoors In

The techniques listed below can be used to help designers bring the outdoors in despite environmental restrictions.

  1. Faux Skylights – Bright as a summer day, lights or faux skylights are strategically placed to give a feeling of high noon in the garden.
    TSF_WikoffRenownHealthPostPartum2_LSC_web(Source)
  2. Whimsical Murals that Spark the Imagination – Here, the botanical scene frames a whimsical apple being peeled for a pie. The wrapped stethoscope appears to be listening to the pulse of nature. This example not only does a great job of bringing the outdoors in, but it’s a creative way to ease the fear and anxiety that many patients associate with medical devises.
    Whimsical Mural that spars the Imagination    (Source Unknown)
  3. Bright Wallpaper and Faux Windows – Wouldn’t you rather listen to the pulse and breath of nature? Here, wallpaper hung to look like windows stage a forest scene. This offers a nice distraction for patients and helps them remain calm and still during important procedures.
    Faux Nature Techniques for Urban Cancer Center(Source)

  4. Bright flowers and Accents – When paint and wallpaper isn’t an option, use bright accents and faux flowers to bring a garden-like cheer to a space.
    How to use Color    (Source)

  5. Use of Color – As subtle as nature itself, merely using the color green can have the same natural calming effect. Here, the mix of textures, shades and lines brings the same balance and harmonious effect of the outdoor environment.
    KafouryArmstrongCo-2
    (Source)

Other Strategies

There’s no limit to the ways you can design nature into the experience of a patient. Other strategies proven successful include green roofs, sunlight tubes, replica plantings, and even photographs of nature. The natural environment appeals to all age groups and all cultures, particularly when one is sick.