Insights
Jul 14, 2025 _ insights
Through Children’s Eyes: Pediatric Healthcare Arrival Spaces
The initial moments in a healthcare facility significantly shape the experiences of patients and visitors. For pediatric patients, arrival spaces are particularly crucial in influencing their perception of care quality and overall well-being. Research has shown that feelings of fear and helplessness can lead to increased stress and reduced satisfaction among young patients. To mitigate these effects, the literature emphasizes the importance of incorporating positive distractions through a child-centered design approach.
Recently, myself and co-author Dr. Hui Cai, of the Georgia Institute of Technology, were invited to EDRA 56, the Environmental Design Research Association’s (EDRA) annual conference, to share GBBN’s primary research around pediatric healthcare arrival spaces. Addressing a gap in existing studies, our research explores vehicle and pedestrian movement patterns within the primary circulation zones of a pediatric hospital, focusing on the wayfinding experiences of children and their parents.
Guided by a systematic literature review, we developed design recommendations and conducted a Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE) to assess spatial navigation and behavioral patterns at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center’s Burnet Campus. The hospital’s main concourse and entrances were recently renovated to integrate positive distractions and respite spaces through a collaborative effort between GBBN and Kolar Design. Our study followed an established POE protocol on hospital arrival zones, co-developed by academic researchers and other experts.
The POE collected data on behaviors and events occurring in the main concourse, Location A entrance lobby, and Location B elevator lobby. Using on-site observations and shadowing techniques, we evaluated users’ arrival and wayfinding behaviors, with particular attention to child-parent interactions and the impact of positive distractions. By analyzing the behaviors of diverse user groups, this study provides insight into how design can enhance the experience of pediatric patients and their families.
You can see my full presentation here.
Learn about our EDRA Certificate of Research Excellence (CORE) Awards here.
Learn more about research at GBBN here.
Shan Jiang, Ph.D, is an associate principal and the director of research at GBBN. An established researcher, educator, and thought leader, she has published dozens of articles in peer-reviewed journals, presented at conferences, and recently published a full monograph with Routledge on therapeutic landscapes, healthcare design, and sustainable community development. At GBBN, Shan leads firm-wide research efforts, helping design teams in all markets conduct research while drawing on the best, established research to inform their work.
