Entering 7N from the primary corridor, patients and staff alike are flanked by wood pilasters. Finishes and design standards cohesive with UWMC’s other inpatient floors brand 7N with a unified design aesthetic. Working with that standard palette, durable stretched fabric wall coverings are utilized in the corridors, providing feelings of calm through acoustic dampening effects that reduce unwanted sound, an important consideration to support patients’ rest and recovery.
Graphics and imagery tied to soft morning light, water droplets and fog connect the space to the nearby Montlake Cut, and subtly reference the sculling that UW students engage in there. An intentional effort to imbue the space with sensations of lightness and brightness prevents the feeling of being in an institutional setting, which was a big effort for the wing.
In the hallway at the front of the unit is a nurse’s station identified by woven-aesthetic wall covers and low-height partitions promote wayfinding, indicating that visitors can find help or have their questions answered there. Behind the nurse’s station is a family nourishment center complete with kitchen appliances, including a microwave, refrigerator and ice machine, allowing the families of patients to store and enjoy food while they are visiting the unit. Alcoves tucked away into the walls down the hallway create sanctuary for tired staff, a comfy respite for visitors, and storage space for medical equipment that can be accessed at a moment's notice.
Since 7N does not share programming with any other units, the floor was designed to stand alone as its own wing. Staff don't have to leave the unit for support services, and there is a unique level of flexibility – mechanically and architecturally – on the floor that allows the unit to be easily converted to an isolation unit in preparation for a future pandemic or for highly contagious patient populations.
Temporary walls can be erected at the unit's entrance, cordoning off the space as a secure location for the immunocompromised or the infected in the event of another pandemic. An anteroom with a sink would allow staff to put on the proper protective gear and disinfect themselves before and after entering the isolation unit, while a closed system of air circulation would ensure there is no contamination between the quarantined wing and the rest of the floor.
