Despite being located in the heart of Tokyo, Keio University Hospital is surrounded by abundant greenery, including Shinjuku Gyoen and Jingu Gaien. Drawing on this unique setting, the project was developed around the design concept of “KEIO Forest,” envisioning the hospital as a forest of Keio.
Because introducing actual greenery into a hospital is difficult from a hygiene perspective, graphic patterns and colors inspired by trees were used to create a sense of a forest within the interior. These elements were then developed into a visual coding system that conveys a sense of place, creating the experience of a hospital within a forest.
At the reception areas of the outpatient department, codes inspired by “the cherry blossoms of Shinjuku Gyoen” and “the ginkgo trees of Jingu Gaien” were established. These codes were extended across the walls of the waiting areas, envisioned as pathways through the forest. In addition to gently defining the boundaries of each zone, the graphics bring color and character to what could otherwise be a monotonous waiting environment.
The staff areas are divided into three zones—east, west, and south—with a distinct theme color assigned to each area to make the identity of each zone more apparent and intuitive.
On the ward floors, the staff areas are connected by two light courts running through four levels, one to the east and one to the west. The hospital’s symbolic trees—the Japanese zelkova and southern magnolia—are represented through layered graphic elements. The convex surfaces of the ribbed concrete walls and the two-layered stripes of the glass in front overlap to create an image reminiscent of sunlight filtering through foliage. This graphic treatment brings a sense of the forest into the space, providing a moment of calm and relief for ward staff working around the clock.