Client: Our Lady of the Lake Childrens Hospital

Overview

There is a well-known saying, “You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.” “Harmonic Grove: OLOLCH” is the first place the hospital patients and their families make physical contact with this new children’s hospital, and it is the last place they encounter as they leave. As the grand entryway, this 4000 square foot colored glass canopy enlivens the spirits of all who enter as it invites people to “play” with the architecture using interactive touch-points – sparking unique compositions of color, light, and sound, and transforming the entrance into a playfully creative destination for everyone.

Goals

To generate a creatively playful entrance to this new children’s hospital, illustrating sensitivity and respect for these young patients.

Additional Information

The latest in Christopher Janney's "Urban Musical Instruments," “Harmonic Grove” is composed of a 3000 square-foot colored glass canopy spread over a unique space-frame structure together with interactive sound and light elements. COLORED GLASS –The 88 colored glass panels are a combination of blues, blue-green and green colors in harmony with both the Mississippi River color scheme of the building’s exterior and its interior entrance space. INTERACTIVE SOUND – Eight of the canopy’s 12 columns holds a series of photo-electric sensors, audio speakers and LED lights together with a “hand-pattern” (see image.) The hand is there to indicate where someone should touch the column to trigger the sound and light. But, more importantly, this graphic and the interactive experience indicate that a “human touch” is very much a part of what goes on in this building; that people can “play with the architecture.” LIGHT – During the day, the sun paints colored shadows within the white space-frame and canopy structure as well as deep colored shadows on the ground, SOUND-SCORE – The sound-score is composed of melodic and environmental sounds. All the environmental sounds are indigenous to Louisiana, from the state bird, the Pelican - to frogs, crickets and owls.