Where Experiential Design Meets Sustainability by: Stephanie L’Estrange
Stephanie L’Estrange – Senior associate and director of design at TAYLOR design — strategy based design firm specializing in healthcare, education, science & technology, and assisted living. The firm has received several awards for sustainable design and committed to AIA challenge – all new projects and major renovations to be carbon-neutral by 2030.
This article analyzes the benefits of sustainable design in the healthcare industry, the aspiration to create a comfortable space filled with natural elements that contribute to the healing process. L’Estrange writes that in implementing experiential design, architects and interior designers cannot lose sight of the sustainable practice that should dictate the entire project process; she argues that the work of experiential design can serve as a catalyst for a heightened level of awareness and affirmation for the organization’s attention to responsibility. The materials selected should be warm, soothing, and communicate their sustainable attributes. Hospital branded bamboo patient blankets and plaques/posters that greet patients, visitors, and staff, informing them about the sustainable decisions and where the materials were sourced are two examples described by L’Estrange also writes that a healing space should offer choice and customization to better accommodate user needs; the example she gives is a turnable LED light fixture that can emulate natural light while automatically changing color to match the circadian rhythms of our sleep patterns. She also points out the growing importance of these features; the generations that will soon comprise the majority of users (patients, nurses/doctors, designers) and are far more concerned about sustainable practices and their carbon footprint.
L’Estrange, Stephanie. “Where Experiential Design Meets Sustainability.” Facilitiesnet, Building Operating Management, 14 Oct. 2019, www.facilitiesnet.com/healthcarefacilities/article/Where-Experiential-Design-Meets-Sustainability–18641.
