Akron Children's Hospital | Wayfinding

Wayfinding / Architectural graphics / 3D Visualization

Contribution

Akron Children’s Hospital is one of the nation’s leading pediatric healthcare centers, renowned for its family-centered care and welcoming, child-friendly environments. Transforming a major clinical atrium into an engaging, therapeutic space called for an environment that sparks imagination and eases young patients’ anxiety. Inspired by mechanical kinetic contraptions—such as an elaborate, interactive Rube Goldberg machine or a whimsical "exploding toy box,” in which one playful mechanism sets the next in motion—the revitalization reimagined the central atrium as a dynamic theater of physics, movement, and wonder.

As the lead 3D visualization and conceptual designer, I spearheaded the digital modeling and spatial planning for the atrium's kinetic centerpiece and architectural graphics. Working closely with specialty fabricators such as Eclipse Creative, I connected high-end 3D modeling with real-world manufacturing. The design’s intricate, interlocking mechanical elements and large-scale installations—created through advanced 3D printing and custom fabrication—required exceptional precision in file formatting, geometry, and engineering coordination. My 3D models served as the precise digital blueprints for the physical build, ensuring that complex spatial relationships, custom enclosures, and kinetic pathways translated seamlessly from concept to full-scale reality.