Impacts of Environmental Design in Hospitals

How do the lighting, colors, smells, sounds, visuals, and feelings impact patients in hospitals? There is more to the patient experience than the healthcare aspect. As a student at the University of Minnesota, I dedicated my senior thesis to studying how the environment of hospitals impacts the patient experience. Specifically focusing through the lens of environmental graphic design, I explored the history of hospital design, how environmental design can be used as a powerful tool in creating healing environments, and several examples of hospitals around the United States and the world where design has been used to positively impact patients.