Laura Heppell

Creating a visual wayfinding system for the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate.

Difficulty with wayfinding in hospitals is a well-recognized issue. Older hospitals pose particular challenges for the development of effective wayfinding strategies as they have often grown organically, and the use of different areas and buildings may have changed over time. It is not surprising, therefore, that navigating around large hospitals can often be a major source of anxiety, frustration and overall stress for those visiting and working there. It also has significant and direct ‘cost’ implications in terms of missed appointments, as well as putting an overall strain on staff time and resources in guiding others.

The Queen Elizabeth Queen Mother site was divided into three themed areas, with each being allocated a series of illustrations to serve as wayfinding landmarks. To celebrate Margate’s rich cultural history, the themes Lido, Dreamland, and Shell Grotto were chosen. Each area was assigned a colour and the signage for departments was colour-coded in line with this. In addition, the brand identity for a complementary wayfinding app, Lighthouse, was developed.

The solution looks to address the functional need of patient and visitor navigation, but also provide the health and emotional benefits of art to staff, patients and visitors who may have limited access to cultural spaces and galleries.