Reimagining Hospital Waiting Rooms

The project explores how outpatient hospital waiting room experiences in the public sector may be reimagined through the application of biophilic design to the interior space. The design research examines how biophilic design as a concept eases anxiety, transforms a sense of time and provides comforting distraction to patients. Both secondary and primary research acknowledged that long waiting times, a clinical and noisy environment can aggravate ill health symptoms and emotional frustration. In response, we sought to research how the notion of ‘care’ and ‘caring society’ can begin not just at the point of contact with the doctor, but can be provided prior to this, using space to turn moments of waiting into an opportunity for pause, comfort and engagement. Thus, we wanted to highlight how the space itself can also be providing care for the patient. 

Team members: Lina Alaidaroos , Nicharee Sawartsoot , Sarah Tibbles (supported by Haberdashers’ x RCA Textile Scholarship) , Sriram Ganeshram (supported by the Logitech Diversity Scholarship in Art and Design)