Custom Illuminated Video Wall Promotes Healing and Imagination
University Hospital Angie Fowler Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Center
Cleveland, OH: University Hospitals’ newly renovated inpatient oncology unit features a custom video wall that encourages interaction and healing. At the Angie Fowler Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer on the 7th floor of Horwitz Tower, patients who are undergoing treatment and stay for up to six months will have access to protective environments, family gathering areas, kitchen, teen area, and child play areas in the unit. The floor itself was designed by Perpectus Architecture and constructed by Donley’s, Inc.
In the curved corridor that graces the floor entrance and links these spaces, GPI Design designed and installed a glass video wall which runs on a time clock to automatically display abstract imagery of nature, special holidays, and soothing scenes. Patients and visitors can trigger different scenes on the wall by specialty motion sensors, prompting a waving hand or smiley face to greet the approaching person. The unit opens in August 2020 with hopes to enhance the healing process for patients, families, and staff who are uniquely affected by adolescent cancer.
The Process: Interaction and engaging content were always primary goals for this particular installation. The GPI Design team, in conjunction with Perspectus Architecture, with the help of key University Hospital staff, spent countless hours honing how exactly the wall should function before deriving at the final “recipe”. Once final performance and visual criteria were clearly defined, GPI dove into deriving the more technical aspects of the system: identifying the proper glass surface and lighting system to execute the vision; engineering the structural support system and detailing all the nuances of feature in intricate shop drawings; creating content, programming scenes and coordinating trigger points; and finally, installing the feature from structure to glass. The end result is sleek, clean feature wall that not only creates stunning visuals, but also encourages healing, promotes imagination, and adds aesthetic value to the space.
This project was awarded Best Healthcare Lighting of 2020 by LIT Design Awards™. Read more at gpidesign.com/2021/01/2020-lit-award/.
About the Company: GPI Design is an engineer-build firm that creates iconic features. Through the combination of translucent material sourcing, bespoke lighting design practices, and innovative structural methods, GPI teams with architects to cultivate statements that push the boundaries of design. To learn more about GPI Design, please visit: https://gpidesign.com/.