The Society of British and International Design declared Tinker imagineers the overall winner of the SBID International Design Excellence Awards 2015 on account of its experience design for the Juliana Children's Hospital. "This project was awarded specifically on its ground-breaking ability to interact with the end user and changes the expectations of how interior design is received within this sector of design," commented Vanessa Brady OBE, President of SBID.
The animated experience designed for the Juliana Children's Hospital had been nominated by an international jury of experts in the 'healthcare design' category, and was in the race to become category winner with the support of the voting public. In the end, Tinker made off with the 'best of' award. "A great surprise," according to Tinker partner/director Stan Boshouwers. "International recognition on this scale for a meaningful and experimental project such as the Juliana Children's Hospital feels very special. We hope to set a trend to improve healthcare design with creative technology and storytelling."
Five characters, Hugg, Happy, Fold, C-bot and Vizzle, play the main roles in the children's experience. These little friends accompany the patients on their journey through the new Juliana Children's Hospital and appear everywhere. In the most nerve-racking situations, such as the corridor to the OR, the treatment rooms and the elevators, these characters come to life in moving projections and interactive animations.
"The goal of the concept was to create a wondrous world that would provide distraction," said Fréderique Hofstede, paediatrician and medical manager of the Juliana Children's Hospital. "Research shows that a child-friendly, distracting environment reduces stress and the perception of pain in sick children, which helps them to recover sooner."
Photos: Wim Verbeek, Michael Kieviets, Fred Ernst, Michael van Oosten