Anna Ziekenhuis hospital

For the design of several completed waiting rooms, the St Anna Hospital in Geldrop commissioned an original research into the experiences of clients and employees with a waiting room.

Assignment bkkc wrote a vision document in line with the policy plan ‘Pleasant Anna’, in which St Anna Hospital distinguishes itself by special involvement and attention for the customer. The pilot project ‘The ideal waiting room’ stems from the vision document, which gives content and practical substance to strengthening the environment. Pleasant Anna Visual artist Anne Pillen spent three half-days in a waiting room. She talked to clients and staff and made changes with existing materials in response to the situation. With temporary interventions such as setting up a reading table, serving coffee, arranging flowers and reading aloud, she gathered information for a good waiting room design. She recorded the reactions, changes and tips in a photo document that was used to design a new waiting room. The waiting rooms are ready and Anne Pillen trained volunteers for their duties as hostesses. Healing Environment bkkc wrote the vision document ‘physical layout Pleasant Anna’ and supervised and co-designed the pilot project ‘The ideal waiting room’. Healing environment is a theme within healthcare and art and culture can make an important contribution to this, both physically and socially. By not pursuing a separate art policy, but integrating art and design in the furnishing of the rooms, this effectively contributes to a healing environment and makes the hospital more personal. Result The result is an atmospheric space, with inviting furniture, attractive wallpaper and fresh flowers. Hostesses and hosts welcome customers and provide them with information, a listening ear or a cup of coffee or tea, if required. They also provide a newspaper or read a book to waiting children. Customers respond enthusiastically to the inviting waiting room with its homely feel and confirm the ‘pleasant wait’.