The art and design of the new Johns Hopkins Hospital clinical buildings, opening to the public May 1, 2012, also have practical functions.  The wayfinding is keyed to American artist Spencer Finch’s palette for the building exterior, which is predominantly blue for the Charlotte R. Bloomberg Children’s Center and green for the Sheikh Zayed Tower.

The presence of Finch’s blue tones throughout the interior of the Bloomberg Children’s Center—in all of the elevator lobbies, along the patient floors, even on the walkway of the bridge that leads into the building—immediately lets visitors know that they are in the children’s section of the hospital or on a path towards it.  In the same way, the color green signals to visitors that they are in or around the Sheikh Zayed Tower.

As patients and visitors navigate through the buildings, they will discover unique works of art that become memorable landmarks, helping them with wayfinding. In Bloomberg Children’s Center, unique works of art are in all 12 elevator lobbies, each inspired by a different children’s book. This idea of linking reading and healing continues throughout the reception and waiting areas and along its main circulation routes. In the Sheikh Zayed Tower, the works of art are inspired by the idea of nature and the garden.

More about art and architecture in the new clinical buildings at Johns Hopkins