ARCHITECTURAL WAYFINDING IMPROVEMENT BASED ON TECHNOLOGIES ——POTENTIAL APPLICATION TO HOSPITALS IN HONOLULU

Abstract

Wayfinding is an important issue in the research of environmental behavioristics and environmental psychologists especially in places of hospitals where the wayfinding efficiency is an essential spatial experience. In hospital architecture, the spaces tend to be homogenous and without special hierarchy, while the circulation paths and the destinations of the patients are highly variable. Adding to the challenge, many patients are often elderly and the people in wheelchairs who have different height of sight and need for space. Those who may get lost in the process of wayfinding may result in some psychological concerns such as increased nervousness and fright. In the background of a pandemic like the Covid-19, ineffective circulation increase the risk for cross infection among the patients, stuff and public .Wayfinding design in hospitals is not equivalent to simple signage design. Instead, it‘s a systematic design of the entire spatial environment implementing. Traditional wayfinding design usually helps visitors build a cognitive map by designing distinctive signs or markers. Research in the recent post, many scholars utilize elements like color or light to help find their destinations. Because of constant development of science and technologies, wayfinding may now be combined with other new technologies such as navigation robots, QR code positioning, voice control prompt and etc. My research will combine design with these evolving technologies and provide a new vision for wayfinding that is integrated with the latest technologies.