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At Evelina Day Surgery children undergo a series of challenging experiences in one go. Accompanied by their parents / carers, they enter the building, get prepped for theatre, receive an anaesthetic, have an operation, enter recovery, & are discharged – all in one big day. We wanted to do everything we could to help patients feel looked after, well-informed, and reassured.
Our aim was to use art, interior design, and wayfinding to turn the clinical journey into a more positive “big day out”.
Early engagement with children and families settled on the theme of ‘outer space’ and a request we bring back the “Evelina Gang” drawn by artist Kiriko Kubo – already well established in our other projects at the Evelina.
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The artistic welcome is about setting the stage, helping banish anxieties through the wonder of the cosmos – combining facts of science with mythology of various cultures.
We learn different names for our galaxy from around the world – ‘Silver River’, ‘Straw Thief’, ‘Winter Street’ – and that ‘Astronauts can't burp in space.’
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The planets of the Milky Way guide you down the corridor through the circulation space, all placed in order from the Sun.
“The building is stunning, bright artwork, information panels, and interiors helped put our son at ease… the blue constellation board was our favourite! An excellent atmosphere for young children.”
Parent of patient
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When patients move into one of several assessment cubicles, moon-adorned info-slices explain the next steps of their clinical journey using simple language.
Lunar artwork panels sit alongside the info-slices, with facts like: “In Japan, there is a legend that a rabbit is pounding mochi on the moon. In Japanese the rabbit in the moon is known as 'Tsuki no Usagi'.”
The design process was very collaborative: Kubo gave an online masterclass on how to draw in her unique style, which generated massive community excitement. This led to an open invite drawing competition, where patients drew ‘outer space’ in their way.
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Kubo incorporated elements from every entry, which feature in the finished environment.
The young people we spoke with gave us brilliant ideas: inspiring us to focus on black astronautical pioneers Mary Jackson and Leland Devon Melvin in the anaesthetics rooms. The real-life stories of Jackson and Melvin distract children as they’re put to sleep, along with a sleeping animal constellation above them.
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Constellation facts adorn the artworks in recovery spaces: ”The Little Bear’s brightest star, Polaris, has been used by sailors to find their way at sea for centuries…”
In a film-tour with Dr Ranj, he demonstrates the art and design fulfils a role far beyond decoration. It’s a tool for clinical explanation and reassurance, helping to guide patients through a journey and offering the feeling of being looked-after at all times.
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This case study is part of the wider Evelina story. We have been working with the Evelina, and Kiriko Kubo for over 10 years now, and have collaborated together with the clinical teams to design inclusive, playful and innovative environments.
The artwork has been supported by Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity, which helps create a world-class environment for patients, staff and visitors at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.
Project Information
Date
2023
Sector
Children
Service
Children's: Surgery
Client
Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust
Artists
Kiriko Kubo
Team
Celia Knox, Chloe Northover-Naylor
Awards
RICS Awards
2024
Winner
,
Public Sector Project
Design Educates Awards
2024
Honourable Mention
,
Universal Design
