A personal atmosphere at Östra Hospital, Gothenburg

Is it possible to decorate in a way that instils a sense of calm in those undergoing a crisis? White Arkitekter, in collaboration with Svensson, has created a more personal atmosphere at the Children's Emergency Department at Östra Hospital in Gothenburg. The key was Nordshield, a textile treatment that allowed the use of interior textiles in the hospital's consultation rooms.

The goal of the project at Östra Hospital in Gothenburg focuses on care and people. Due to the risk of infection, the Children's Emergency Department has not had the opportunity to decorate with textiles on its premises until now. Svensson coordinated with the requirements of White Arkitekter to supply the hospital's consultation rooms with NordShield-treated textiles.

"The reason we haven't had textiles before is primarily for hygienic reasons. Ideally, you want to move away from the closed institutional feeling - and offer a more welcoming and personal environment," says Lina Norrison, head of the pediatric emergency department.

The premises at Östra Hospital have been used partly as a traditional meeting room and partly as a consultation room, and like many other rooms in the hospital, white and bareness have previously dominated.

Children's Emergency Department at Östra Hospital in Gothenburg

"In hard situations where you need to gather a larger family, it gives a dull impression with a TV and technical equipment, with cords hanging everywhere. We wanted to create a nicer environment, and NordShield became an important part of the solution," says Lina Norrison.

NordShield BioLayr is a textile treatment that is free from harmful substances such as heavy metals and biocides and creates a physical but invisible barrier against bacteria. The wood-based technology harnesses nature's way of protecting itself by creating an unfavourable environment where bacteria cannot multiply. This makes it possible to use textiles in more contexts, such as hospitals or other environments with high hygiene requirements.

"In the past, there was usually more interior textiles, but it's something that has gradually been removed because of the risk of infection. There simply hasn't been a better alternative," says Johanna Augustsson, interior architect at White Arkitekter.

Johanna has been working as an interior architect for 10 years and has extensive experience in working towards healthcare environments and other public spaces. The intention here was to create something that was not previously possible thanks to the NordShield treatment.

"It has traditionally been challenging to create welcoming and personal environments while also having strict hygiene requirements. Everything must be able to be disinfected and cleaned. Therefore, it is difficult to work with regular textiles," says Johanna Augustsson.

Johanna Augustsson, White Arkitekter

White Arkitekter provided material and colour choices for the room, and the intention was to create something that was not previously possible thanks to the NordShield treatment. By also using textiles as room dividers, a flexible solution was created where the room can be made larger or smaller as needed - something that was utilized by creating a meeting between hanging textiles and furniture to create a cosy feeling.

"The textiles completely transform the room. But besides just looking nice, we quickly noticed that the textile also had a sound-absorbing effect, and you can tell that there is a very different tone in the room. We can have relatives who are grieving and distraught, and then it makes a big difference how a room is designed," says Lina Norrison, head of the pediatric emergency department at Östra Hospital.

"I am convinced that you feel more taken care of in a cosy environment that creates a sense of security," says Johanna Augustsson at White Arkitekter.