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St. Josef Hospital, Vienna

Orientation System, Spatial Illustration & Storytelling

The Christian hospital with its social touch is known for cordiality and individual care. Shared values ​​are the central motivation for the empathetic work of the medical and nursing team.

In the course of renewing the buildings, the hospital wanted to bring its values to live. Our concept for a holistic way finding system transports messages in form of illustrative interventions and storytelling that accompany the functional orientation system. These narrative designs are now wall-filling spatial communication to be found at arrival points, in waiting areas and individualized areas in wards.

St. Josef Hospital from outside, facade with glass porch, in front meadow and trees
Strategy process as an infographic
Interior hospital with woman standing in front of site plan, signpost to registration and a staircase to the upper floor
View from the 2nd floor into the entrance area of the hospital with stairs, large golden glass lamp and doors to different areas
Detail orientation system, white boards with black writing and pictograms

Safely guided throughout

The functional guidance system is clear, barrier-free and clearly laid out. It guarantees intuitive orientation from arrival to destination and is directly linked to the world of narrative illustrations. Reliable information helps people to stay calm in the emotional state of emergency of a hospital visit. Finding information and destinations quickly and clearly conveys an important feeling of security.

Signpost with writing and pictogram to the registration area in a seating niche where a woman is sitting with a newspaper
Staircase with wayfinding and a door in the background

Being in good hands

Knowing that you are in good hands here, both professionally and personally, also relieves stress and helps your return to your sovereignty. To transport the message of competence and cordiality of the hospital, we translated the values into text and illustrative terms. Wide spread maps on selected walls give the house an emotional, warm appearance despite the medical surrounding.

Wall view internal medicine ward with map illustrated on wall
Landkarte mit Illustrationen und Text zu einem Kontinent für sicheren Boden unter den Füßen
Landkarte mit Zeichen und Texten zu Windbewegungen und Flüssen
Texte und Illustrationen auf einer Landkarte mit einem symbolischen Kraftsammelfeld

Discover images in your head

Metaphors for imaginary places can be found on these maps. They refer to fears, irritations, places of retreat and relaxation, emotions and reflections of the hospital surrounding. The storytelling’s diversity, empathy and sometimes gentle irony invite you to explore and find a little distraction during your time in the hospital. In the best case scenario, the narrative will put a smile on faces and transport the feeling of compassion for patients and visitors.

The maps include many different landscapes and imaginary places. The wording always refers to the cordial hospital context and lets you travel to spots like grove of contentment, field of growing relationships, hill of self reflection, inner child’s playground, junction for self-healing powers, platform for a holistic view, outlook on the important things of life, freight station for mental relief, fleet for meaningful journeys through your mind and many more vivid places.

Detail illustration and text to the fireplace of radiant hearts
Detail illustration and text to the avenue of supporting people
Detail illustration and text to symbolize the high achiever chairlift
Detail illustration and text about the wave of attention
Entrance area with glass, a plant and sunlight in the vestibule, in front of it a waiting zone, map of empathy in the background

Bright mood in the room

All rooms are very bright, with a warm appearance and flooded with light. The maps blend in with the architecture with their lightness and warm color palette. Room by room, motif and mood vary in detail down to individual micro-landscapes in the maternity ward.

Door to birth room with name garden and matching illustration & lettering all around
Detail wall illustration with dune grass
Hallway with door to birth room named pond and matching illustration with water lilies and reeds
Detail illustration and text with water lily and inscription "Flower of life".

Muh!