Research shows that nature and art have a positive impact on the wellbeing and recovery of children and young people in healthcare settings. Based on this insight, UAntwerp created a new connection between the University Centre for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (UKJA) and the Middelheimmuseum. The design was developed in close collaboration with the children at UKJA.
Nature and art as drivers of well-being in children’s healthcare
Salamander Portal is more than a new entrance to the Middelheimmuseum. The artwork by Monster Chetwynd forms a physical and symbolic bridge between the museum, the hospital and the university. It gives the children and young people at UKJA access to nature and art as part of their recovery environment.
Researchers at UAntwerp have been studying how nature and art can influence the wellbeing of young people for some time. They know that green surroundings can reduce stress and support the recovery process. Salamander Portal turns these insights into reality.
'The children’s drawings were very imaginative. They featured treehouses, animals, swings, swimming pools and water, a climbing wall, and much more. They gave us a very strong insight into the children’s perspective on the world.’
Interdisciplinary collaboration
The project is part of the broader ByPass project, a collaboration between the Faculty of Design Sciences and the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. The initiative was taken by Maarten Van Acker and Inge Glazemakers, respectively. Within this broader framework, both professional designers and students worked on the project. In addition to the professional designers, Interior Architecture master students also took on a design assignment for the new connection. These student projects formed part of the co-creation process, serving as exploratory research and a source of inspiration for the final design.
During the design assignment, the focus was on preliminary research and understanding the site, its surroundings and its future users. Attention was also paid to orientation, natural light and shadow, and the influence of the seasons on the surrounding nature. In addition, the principle of ‘biophilic design’ played an important role. This approach centres on the connection between people and nature by integrating natural forms and materials into the design to promote wellbeing and create a calming environment.
From imagination to design: learning from children
The entire design process took place in close collaboration with the children at UKJA. Through drawings and conversations, they shared how they wanted to experience the space. At every stage of the design process, they had the final say. This resulted in a project that genuinely responds to their needs. The salamander featured in the design symbolises resilience and renewal, a theme that is closely linked to their recovery process. The information shared by the children became a source of inspiration for both the students and the professional designers.
The Interior Architecture studio (Morphology of the Interior), in which this design assignment was developed, was supervised by Margo Annemans, Eva Storgaard and Marjan Michels.