What Should People Do When They Wait?

How do you design for the function of waiting? Do your building occupants ever really wait? Typically, they move from one activity to another, but it is equally important to also design for those in-between moments. What happens during those “between” moments can really impact an occupant’s experience; thus, as a designer, you can make what goes on inside a waiting room a great experience.

Take hospitals, for instance. Once a patient has gone through the initial phase of “checking in”, then begins the often long and frequently boring wait. Unfortunately, many hospital designs don’t place an emphasis on providing for an optimal waiting area — and that is really a missed opportunity.

Just think of the things that could be accomplished and provided for patients, if only architects would give some serious thought to what patients actually need during this time. For example, within a hospital waiting room, patients could get views of nature or be surrounded by calming colors and pleasing sounds — thus, soothing patient anxiety and stress.

Another tactic that would help patients endure those long “waiting periods” involves giving thought to the arrangement and ergonomics of where they sit. Comfort while waiting is key, particularly for hospital patients who might be in a great deal of pain.

I have noticed that many waiting rooms incorporate Read more