The students were challenged to redesign wayfinding in a way that was inclusive and accessible for all types of patients and visitors. Their aim was to allow people to feel supported and empowered to be able to navigate the hospital themselves.
Integrated Studio was an interdisciplinary undergraduate studio at Good Health Design. The 2021 cohort worked collaboratively with AUT's Good Health Design and Te Whatu Ora Waitematā to reimagine what a better hospital welcoming experience could be like for patients, their whānau and staff. At the time of this project, Te Whatu Ora Waitematā was planning a new healthcare facility, Tōtara Haumaru, on the North Shore Hospital campus. By working collaboratively with patients and staff they used creative processes to better understand the needs of users and to challenge thinking around what the future of care might look and feel like, challenge current conventions, and use design to advocate for those who are most vulnerable.
Hospital patients and visitors would begin their campus journey at the central Wayfinding Hub located at the hospital carpark entrance beside the public transport stops. Visitors would be drawn to the Wayfinding Hub with tactile paving, into an inviting open space. Inside the hub are three interactive wayfinding screens that allows users to create their own personalised wayfinding route. Users first select their language. Then select a range of preference options. These selections are automatically saved for subsequent visits as the system builds an ongoing user profile. The hub's screens generate an 'ideal' route, which can be sent to phones or can be printed out.
Smaller kiosks and outdoor shelters were designed as supporting wayfinding touchpoints, conveniently dispersed throughout the hospital. The kiosks and shelters were equipped with wayfinding screens to aid users if they found themselves lost on their way to their destination. By scanning a QR code on the screens, users can be redirected to their destination from wherever they are. The Wayfinding Hub project was recognised with a Bronze Pin at the Best Awards in Public Good.
