Healthcare Design - September 2020 - 18

monitor
3/5
EVENTS

2020 HCD
EXPO &
CONFERENCE
TO GO
VIRTUAL
DUE TO the ongoing progression of

the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S.,
the 2020 Healthcare Design Expo
& Conference, originally planned
for Nov. 7-10 at Music City Center
in Nashville, Tenn., was canceled.
"Recent developments have made it
impossible to bring our community
together safely and successfully,"
states the press release from Emerald,
the parent company of HCD Expo
PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Factors considered include the latest

D E S I G N I N S P I R AT I O N

TAKING OFF

government data, measures, and
guidelines on phased reopening
plans; current restrictions on con-

THE PARALLELS between healthcare and airport design are numerous, and I've been fortunate to

work in both typologies. Perhaps one of the most obvious is that both are high-stress environments
serving people of all ages and abilities who have varying levels of familiarity with the space and processes in place. In addition, both support a high volume of employees who need to be considered in
the design approach just as much as the patient or passenger.
For a project at the Portland International Airport in Portland, Ore., we're drawing inspiration
from our beautiful Pacific Northwest surroundings and prioritizing daylight, landscape, and natural materials to evoke a sense of place and reduce stress for the thousands of passengers and employees who travel through the main terminal daily.
Both industries spend a lot of time thinking about how patients or passengers are processed and
ways to make that the most convenient and fluid experience possible. Circulation strategies consider ways to establish a clear sense of arrival with parking and drop-off, leverage technology to enable
quick check-in, improve wait times, and develop wayfinding so that people know what to do next
and how to get there.
Additionally, airports have similar needs as hospitals in terms of controlled access for safety and
sterile areas. Design drivers for both include clearly defined paths of access for levels of security,
materials management, and public circulation. Guidelines for infection control in healthcare projects also have influenced the selection and use of materials in airport design, such as solid surfaces
on horizontal countertops and vertical wall applications as well as stainless-steel and copper hardware for their antimicrobial benefits.

SEPTEMBER 2020

HCDMAGAZINE.COM

gregating and large gatherings; and
the various company-imposed travel
restrictions on industry members.
HCD Expo & Conference is now
planning a virtual conference for
2020. Set for Nov. 9-12, the online
event will offer a range of CEUaccredited sessions on critical and
top-of-mind topics, many of which
were planned for the live show. More
details will be announced soon and
updated regularly at HCDexpo.com
and HCDmagazine.com. Next year's
HCD Expo & Conference will be held
Oct. 23-26, 2021, in Cleveland.

COURTESY OF ZGF

In this column, Healthcare Design asks design professionals to share a recent
project their firm has completed for another sector that might inspire similar
solutions in healthcare. Here, Sharron van der Meulen, interior designer and
partner at ZGF Architects (Portland, Ore.), discusses how reducing stress
while managing high traffic volumes drives both airport and healthcare design.

and Healthcare Design magazine.

http://www.HCDexpo.com http://www.HCDmagazine.com http://www.HCDexpo.com http://www.HCDMAGAZINE.COM

Healthcare Design - September 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Healthcare Design - September 2020