An effective wayfinding scheme is essential to help patients, visitors and staff to quickly and easily reach their destination.. An effective system will use a combination of landmarks, focal points, guiding features and meaningful signage to reduce frustration and improve traffic flow and communication.
Zest led the development of a way finding strategy for the new South West Cardiothoracic Centre at Derriford Hospital. the centre opened in the Spring of 2007.
More than 600 people have taken part in a range of consultation exercises to explore the views of staff and patients on creating a meaningful wayfinding scheme that can integrate the new centre into the main hospital.
The Zest team organised the consultation programme, centred on local artists working with hospital users. The activities were designed to encourage participation by staff & patients and stimulate creative thinking.
Many ideas were explored including peoples and places in the region, exploration, environment and heritage as well as themes reflecting the region’s great seafaring history.
The outcome of the consultation has been a wayfinding scheme based on local and regional chosen to reflect the regional importance of the Centre and to integrate with the exisiting hospital wayfinding scheme scheme based on Dartmoor landmarks. Ian wood a local photographer with a national reputation has been commissioned to take a series of photographs of the landmarks.
With thanks to local artists: Noel Perkins, Martin Prothero and Xiao Bi Li for their help
Improving the Healthcare Environment
