How might we enhance patients’ experiences through space and services?
insight
Meetings with various service providers within the hospital revealed a shared priority: helping patients and family members restore a sense of normalcy. Maintaining normalcy is vital for patients and their family members to have a sense of belonging and promote well-being. There is no single definition of normalcy; what restores comfort for one person may feel unfamiliar or even alienating for another. Human experiences exist along a shifting spectrum between private and public. The Hub was envisioned to flex across this range, providing both intimate spaces and opportunities for shared interaction.
Although the Pavilion already offers a wide range of services, opportunities were identified to further enhance the experience through new collaborations. Daily activities were mapped and needs examined across this spectrum, clarifying how the space could better address different aspects of patient and family life.
service
The Hub was positioned as a connector that not only provides on-site resources but also links patients and families with local and digital platforms through partnerships. Examples included digital music platforms that supported self-expression, partnerships for shower and gym access, and extending internet services beyond the hospital lobby — all framed as ways to sustain everyday experiences of normalcy. These connections extend support beyond the physical space, meeting a wider range of needs and allowing for a diversity of normals.
Collaborator
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Team
Location
New York, NY - 2013