Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C
Takashi Murakami's "Smiley Flower"
When you mention Takashi Murakami, you will definitely immediately think of the "smiley flower" that has swept the world. Behind those seemingly cartoonish and nonsensical creations, there is a moral of the designer himself. Take the "colorful smiley flower", the flower with tears in the smile is a remembrance of the victims of the nuclear explosion, and also wants to convey that history is cruel, but no matter how sad you are, don't forget to smile. The visual language + positive meaning of cartoons is also very applicable to children who need inspiration.
Previously, Murakami partnered with RxArt, a children's medical non-profit organization, to add classic smiley faces and blue sky and white cloud backgrounds to the CT/PET scanning room of Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C., making the originally cold equipment look less intimidating.
Dorothy Bulas, a doctor at the hospital, said: "While we hope that no children will come here, when they have to come, we want to put children at ease and receive the best possible care. ”
Small embellishments are just a "handy" thing for hospitals, and they don't have to be expensive, but the effect they present is priceless for patients and even their families.