ART “WORKS” AT THE NEW RUSH PATIENT TOWER ENHANCING THE PATIENT AND FAMILY EXPERIENCE
When those responsible for the Rush Transformation Project were deciding how best to build an outstanding, patient-centered healing facility as their new Medical Center, they knew this would require more than beautiful, clean, modern architecture and furnishings. They needed to find a way to create an environment that alleviates stress, which in turn promotes healing. But hospitals are hardly known as low-stress environments. They know that art has an emotional component and has an ability to transform the experience of all who visit the facility.
To realize their vision, the administration turned to H. Marion Art Consulting of Glenview and Wilmette, an art consultancy specializing in art installations for healthcare facilities. The consultant was already known to Rush for its healing art installations in the campus’s orthopaedic and cancer centers. According to company President Jan Marion, “Through evidence-based design, and especially through references to nature and organic imagery, artworks can reduce stress and be a first step in the healing process.”
Armed with the task of creating a plan that would reflect Chicago as a world-class city, showcase the diverse cultures of the neighborhoods which the hospital serves, and include Midwestern organic imagery, Marion and licensed ASID, IIDA Interior Designer Pam Rosenberg who heads the healthcare division with 28 years of exclusive healthcare design, set to work to identify the 1,400 artworks that would be installed in the 14-floor cutting-edge building designed by architects Perkins+Will.
“We wanted to represent Rush as the premier city hospital of Chicago,” he says. All art selections needed to complement the world-class, contemporary architecture, celebrate the unique urban environment, and include healing imagery. He also worked with the hospital archives to pay homage to Rush’s rich history. “This hospital serves a wide range of ethnic, social, racial and economic groups,” he emphasizes. “We were instructed to ensure our palette was approachable and accessible to all: nothing overly elaborate. The client described themselves like the Donny and Marie song: “’We’re a little bit country; we’re a little bit rock and roll.’”
Of course, the art concept had to start with the site itself. The curvilinear mid century 14-story tower, houses 304 patient rooms, and includes a floor dedicated to labor and delivery rooms, neonatal ICU. All patient rooms have a city view with natural light and sit above the state of the art “interventional platform” comprised of the ED, radiology operating and treatment rooms. The selection and placement of art throughout the many floors and departments was carefully orchestrated to create a thread of consistency throughout the entire hospital as well as maintaining sensibility to each individual department’s art requirements. All placements work beautifully with signage and the architecture itself.
Marion worked closely with the Executive Art Coordinating Group, consisting of five individuals representing upper management, purchasing, philanthropy, the board of trustees, and Office of Transformation. They met monthly for 14 months. Diane McKeever, senior vice president of Philanthropy and an artist in her own right who was a member of the Group says, “Pam and Jan kept the agenda moving, kept on time and on budget, and challenged us a bit on things to consider. Their approach was flexible and collaborative: They were part of the team and understood what we wanted to accomplish with the new hospital and art within the culture at Rush.” She adds, “We were able to complete a huge project in a very tight timeframe.”
Presenting options, processing comments and securing sign off approvals were done efficiently through the use of H. Marion’s proprietary online Art Portal. Through use of a password protected website, the client is linked directly from H. Marion’s home page and can log in 24/7 to review art selections and forward comments on them directly.
Marion likewise employed his Art Portal to engage the participation of user groups throughout the hospital. Sub art committees were formed, and one representative from each departmental unit liaised with Marion, disseminating the concepts to their coworkers and providing feedback within the context of the approved design framework. These user groups not only shared personal preferences, but also provided keen insights on how art selection and placement can enhance family and patent experiences within the department.
Marion points out that they’ve been designing for the staff as well as the patients: a bright, attractive work environment with enjoyable imagery is constructive for morale and efficiency. “Not everyone is going to love every art piece, but if they’re engaged in the correct way, we’re able to secure a higher level of employee satisfaction,” he says. “The care providers are looking at the art more often than anyone, so their buy-in is vital.”
The art selected and installed by Marion and the client spans a wide range of media. From the towering 30’ x 20’ multi panel photo installation in the four-story Brennan Entry Pavilion -- welcoming visitors to the new ground floor entrance with a bird’s eye view of Chicago from the vantage point of the hospital – to original oil painting gifted by donors, to prints, posters, and archival items, Marion made sure that all artworks fulfilled the client’s objectives.
An emphasis was on inclusion of local artists. Says McKeever, “We wanted to use Chicago artists and scenes to reflect that we are part of the fabric of the city.” Marion adds, “An artist will usually paint what they know, and by virtue of that, their art will reflect the personality of a region, making the building more accessible to its visitors.” This approach aligns perfectly with the client’s commitment to diversity, making inclusiveness a priority in every way, including the artists hanging on the walls.
The artworks reflect not only the life of the nearby neighborhoods and vibrant city, but also the surrounding landscapes and natural imagery. “Imagine a big box store: each one looks identical no matter what part of the country they are in,” Marion says. “That’s precisely what we want to avoid!” He points out that this approach helps patients and families feel that the venue has a distinctive character specific to the regional culture and landscape, setting it apart from other area healthcare institutions.
The artworks are installed everywhere in the building – except the patients’ rooms. “The art there is the city panorama,” explains Marion. “Huge glass windows provide an unimpeded view in every room – it’s spectacular!” Corridors and connector bridges lined with images of prairies, streams, trees, and rock formations, as well as photographic collages of imagery, provide peaceful and beautiful continuity and flow as you move through the space. Contemporary images are peppered in as well: Marion praises the client for being adventurous in including some images that challenge the imagination.
Special consideration was given to the family lounge areas of each floor, where patients and visitors gather to relax together. Some of these lounges are themed to the particular department, such as pediatrics, which includes brightly-colored children’s art and sculptures on the walls of figures climbing ropes. “All the art in that section of the hospital is bright and whimsical,” says Marion. He points out some other specialty-related choices: artworks in the labor and delivery areas are more feminine in colors and imagery, while in the orthopaedic surgery area, he installed a “wonderful series of kinetic art -- an x-ray of a hand grasping a ball, about to pitch.”
To create a sense of harmony and uniformity of design finishes, Marion standardized the matting and framing throughout, choosing simple, straight-edged wooden frames in stained walnut and brushed silver with off-white double matting to display most of the pieces. “This framing fits in with the contemporary feel of the building and is sustainable,” he says, pointing out that the hardwood frames are milled regionally, in Wisconsin. He also used printing ink with zero VOC.
Marion trolled the hospital archives in an effort to pay homage to the hospital’s more than 170-year history. In existence longer than any other healthcare institution in the city, it received its charter two days before the City of Chicago itself was incorporated. From his research, he created an engrossing installation of posters advertising the Women’s Board Fashion Show, from its inception in the 1920’s to present, fittingly installed beside the entrance to the Women’s Board Gift Shop. He also created a photo series of an ornate Louis Sullivan-era staircase in the neighboring Jones building, which is scheduled for demolition.
A more contemporary series is located near the employees’ cantina: photos and prints of beloved local eateries, including the Billy Goat, Demon Dogs, Super Dog and Margie’s, line the corridor, culminating in a giant fork-and-spoon sculpture suspended over the tray pick up.
The result of intensive design conceptualization, sticking to underlying tenets, and extensive user consultation: an art installation that MKeever says “definitely achieved our goals.” She continues, “The art makes a person feel calm and cared for: they see that people put up something beautiful on the walls to help them feel better. It sends a message that people care about the healing environment and the patient, reflecting the character of the institution.”
“I’m proud of the project. I feel good about achieving the client’s objective, and being able to do it within budget,” Marion says. “We’ve gotten tremendous feedback from the administration, user groups and staff. Now, we look forward to hearing from the patients!”
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