Buro North: Royal Children’s Hospital completion

14th March, 2012

After four years of work, AGDA Members Büro North have completed their most significant wayfinding and signage project to date at The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne (RCH).

Here is what they had to say:

After four years work we have very recently had the pleasure of being involved in the launch of The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne (RCH). We are immensely proud of the work and believe that the evidence based design approach we utilized places the RCH at the forefront of international healthcare design.

Based on the evidence based approach to wayfinding and design, Buro North commissioned and collaborated with local illustrator Jane Reiseger on the development of illustrations for the wayfinding signage to create an environment where as patients move through different floors of the hospital their journey takes them from ‘underground’ at the lower ground levels through to ‘sky’ on the top floor. Specific areas within each level are described in relation to an appropriate animal, for example, ‘Koala Ward’ exists on the ‘Tree Tops’ level.

Buro North developed the illustrations to create highly distinctive wayfinding graphics and over 5,000 signs, wall panels and essential landmarks for the large hospital site and introduced a playful and distinctive personality to the interior of the new Royal Children’s Hospital.

Importantly, the wayfinding solution was subjected to rigorous testing prior to building occupation. The new wayfinding design solution provided a 45% reduction in average journey times compared to the old system and the average number of users needing to ask for assistance to find their way was reduced from 78% in the old facility to under 10% in the new RCH.

The building is a credit to the Children’s Health partnership (CHP) consortium which comprises Lend Lease (LL), Spotless Group and Architects Billard Leece with Bates Smart (BLBS). In partnership with the RCH, DHS, LL, BLBS and many other consultants, Buro North have contributed to creating an environment that is uniquely designed for children, spaces that are engaging, stimulating and take healing beyond the bedroom.

For more images and info visit:

http://www.buronorth.com

http://www.buronorth.com/blog/

View comments

There are no comments for this article