Nationwide Children's Hospital
Overview
Columbus, Ohio
710,000 ft² new construction
1,494,500 ft² renovation
BRIEF
Develop clear wayfinding for the nation’s second-largest children’s hospital that unites a diversity of buildings while creating a humanizing experience for patients and families.
SERVICES
Research assessment, testing, design and documentation (2007-2012), phased implementation (2012-2015), nomenclature design and development, parking structure graphics, pedestrian wayfinding, donor recognition standards, concept and thematic architectural development.
SITE ANALYSIS
- Disjointed feeling between multiple generations of buildings
- Overly technical nomenclature confused visitors
- Destinations were assigned multiple names
- Out-of-sequence alphanumeric room-numbering system
- Majority of users surveyed expressed a preference for a wayfinding system based on paths rather than districts
Case Study
SOLVING FOR A COMPLEX CAMPUS
This sprawling campus was constructed over the course of 50 years, resulting in a dissonant naming and building identification system. fig. a
Our solution eliminated the concept of distinct buildings as destinations altogether, instead drawing a series of identifiable public paths—akin to a subway system—connecting destinations throughout the building mass. fig. b
Most people remember only four or five directions at a time and require guidance on their journey. By using instructional design to direct people to parking first and then the appropriate elevator, floor level, and room number, we reduced the necessary cognitive load.
We designed a system that provides patients with information cards in printed and digital formats prior to their visit. fig. c These cards reduce the stress of parking and navigating while introducing visitors to the in-building experience ahead of time.
NOMENCLATURE
Studies show most technical and medical terms are not understood by all patients and visitors. Our team collaborated with physicians and administrators to develop a comprehensible terminology system that helps users better find their way. fig. f
PROTOTYPING LAB
Each component of the wayfinding system was prototyped at scale in a former grocery store adjacent to the Nationwide campus, which the client had purchased to turn into an iterative design lab. fig. g
Our team ran multiple rounds of user tests with patients and hospital stakeholders; the success of the resulting system is due in large part to these tests.
PLACEMAKING
Oversized typography, supergraphics, and dimensional landmarks provide a constant sense of place. fig. h The wooden animals were custom-carved by a local maker of carousel animals.
Less heavily-trafficked areas received special treatments like digital kiosks to help viewers find their way. fig. i These kiosks also served as wayfinding landmarks to communicate nearby amenities, marketing announcements, and priority messaging.
PROJECT CREDITS
PROJECT PARTNERS
AWARDS
- Industrial Designers Society of America
- Graphis Silver
- Communication Arts Design Annual