Client: Valley Children's Medical Group
Location: Bakersfield, CA, United States
Completion date: 2018
Project Team
Principal
Annette Ridenour
Aesthetics, Inc.
Senior Project Manager
Pam Nickell
Aesthetics, Inc.
Graphic Designer
Peggy McCartney
Aesthetics, Inc.
Technical Coordination
Roger Hill
Aesthetics, INc.
Principal Designer
Hsiao-Lin Hu
SmithGroup
Designer
Rui Luo
SmithGroup
Project Manager
Gabriel Fonseca
SmithGroup
Interactive Principal
Thomas Hepburn
NGX Interactive
Overview
Valley Children’s Medical Group opened a new 54,000 square foot state-of-the-art medical center designed for children, supporting wellness and providing the best pediatric specialty care services in the Valley.
The experience of the center begins with the contemporary and fun architecture and playful gardens designed by SmithGroup. Once inside, you are greeted by a vaulted ceiling which houses a 30-foot mechanical giraffe, and a colorful mobile and bubble tubes. Graphics designed by Aesthetics, Inc., enhance the colorful interior design motif, and reinforce and celebrate the location of Bakersfield.
Goals
For children, visits to the doctor are often intimidating and anxiety-inducing; the waiting rooms, offices and exam rooms can feel oppressive and sterile, compounding the fear they are already experiencing. The goal of the project was to create a space that sought to lessen the stress of visiting the doctor and promotes feelings of joy, play, and discovery in pediatric patients.
Process
The Life Center remains at the heart of the building, offering access to the central lobby and reception area and allowing visitors to explore a plethora of amenities and entertainment activities that transform the traditional waiting experience. NGX Interactive collaborated with VCMG, SmithGroup and Aesthetics, Inc. in the design of the clinic’s interior, focusing on the planning and production of two large-scale interactive experiences, “California Landscape” and the “Treehouse”, concentrating on gesture-based interactions that trigger beautiful environmental effects, engage curiosity, encourage exploration and entice the imagination.
Aesthetics designed custom graphics for the entrance, the main and patient waiting areas, the vital intake areas and throughout the facility. Different themes were developed for the major clinical areas: “Fun in the Garden”, “Family and Friendship”, “Water Fun”, “Springtime Activities” and “Flowers and Trees”. All of these graphics assist with wayfinding and help provide positive distractions and interactive experiences for patients and their families.
Additional Information
Bright, colorful doodles and photographs work together to encourage healthy eating habits, exercise, fun facts, riddles, as well as many seek and find games. Both English and Spanish appear in the graphics, recognizing the demographics both Bakersfield and Modesto facilities will service. There are also hidden giraffes in all the displays in honor of George, the mascot of Valley Children’s Hospital. All the waiting area graphics are custom printed wall protection to allow for durability and easy cleaning.