Phase Zero Design designed the Pediatric Specialty Care Suite at Connecticut Children's in Westport, Connecticut, designed to transport young patients from the ominously drab healthcare spaces of the past to the engaging and experiential caregiving suites of the future.
The inspiration for the design of this space is anything but your typical healthcare facility. To increase patient and staff comfort and confidence, designers worked diligently to include elements of nature from the beginning of this project's process, weaving in a range of biophilic elements that intrinsically elevate the healing experience for all who encounter it.
Spanning more than 13,000 square feet, this Pediatric Specialty Care Center is home to 23 exam rooms, an X-ray lab, a casting room, and a physical therapy suite with three additional private treatment rooms. It is fully equipped to support various health needs for some of Connecticut's youngest patients.
When a patient and their family enter the Connecticut Children's Pediatric Specialty Care Center, they find themselves atop a mountain peak instead of in a bland old lobby. From here, they encounter a centralized corridor of blue skies with a light cloud cover of handcrafted millwork and a nursing station that takes the shape of the sun. Radiating from it, they watch qualified and compassionate caregivers move throughout the four themes of the space with grace and ease, meeting their young patients right in the middle of their care-seeking adventure.
At their journey's end, they are surrounded by birds of flight and a dusky purple atmosphere. Above them, only the twinkling of fiberoptic stars in the ceiling-turned-sky. An array of constellations and cosmic wonders surround them as they progress through this hallway-turned-skyward exploration.
As patients and staff progress throughout the space, their journey takes them down steep slopes as they suddenly navigate through a forest-scape. Along the way, they meet deer and other mountainous creatures that span the walls. Until eventually, the slope becomes more gentle, and they stumble into a flatland meadow filled with brilliant florals. Without the need to transition into scuba gear, they dive right into the ocean that was thousands of feet below them only moments ago on the opposite end of the space.
To create an experience that pediatric patients would look forward to rather than dread, this space works hard to create a destination. The naturalized design offers joyful surprises around every corner, creating a positive association for the patients who explore this space. Strengthened only by the talented team of caregivers who call this space home, these professionals can leverage the asset this facility is directly into the lifesaving care they provide.
