Children’s Hospital Palliative Care Clinic

U+B was hired to work with Children’s Hospital to renovate an existing outpatient space to serve as a new Pediatric Pain and Palliative Care Clinic.  Driven to challenge conventional healthcare design, this state of the art clinic was designed as a calming and anxiety reducing healing environment specific to the unique challenges of pediatric pain management. The innovative design incorporates natural wood floors and walls, large scale, hyper-clear images of the Minnesota landscape, a suspended canopy ceiling of backlit leaf imagery and a “grotto” with an interactive virtual waterfall designed as a sensory escape for patients. Lighting throughout the space is soft and indirect and the sophisticated lighting system mimics the lighter and darker periods of the diurnal cycle to create a serene and stress reducing atmosphere. The entire design, from spatial programming to the selection of furnishings and upholstery, was intended to create an environment that supports the various treatment needs of the patients including not only traditional medical therapies but also biofeedback, group therapy, physical therapy, massage, aroma therapy and acupuncture.