Distinctive Art Source
Goal
The artwork collection in the Hale Family Building is centered on four guiding principles to: include, immerse, connect, and unite. It carefully considers every employee, patient and family member regardless of age, ability or background. Individual works provide positive distraction via impactful, purpose-driven design motifs, and create opportunities for connection via discovery and storytelling themes. Lastly, the collection establishes a Boston Children's Hospital visual identity campuswide - a fresh, playful but sophisticated look and feel that upholds its sterling reputation in the field.
Challenge
Boston Children's Hospital is the number #1 pediatric care center in the world. It serves a wide demographic of patients seeking the best possible care, and some return regularly throughout their adulthood. The artwork collection needed to have universal appeal to help the human-centered space fulfill its mission.
Solution
We worked with an art committee composed of senior leadership and the building's architecture and design teams, as well as 5 user groups with staff members from each unit of the hospital to build key aesthetics that were appropriate for each unit and the demographic that they serve. Through our online art voting tools, we were able to cast a wide net to gather aesthetic input, landing on a collection that makes everyone feel welcome. Aesthetics are child and adult-friendly, and, no matter where you are from, the subjects are familiar and successfully provide positive distraction, a core tenant of any children’s hospital.
