Loma Land at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital

Loma Linda, CA

Hospital visits can be unsettling, especially for pediatric patients facing serious medical procedures. Loma Land—designed by NBBJ's New York experience design studio ESI Design—reduces feelings of unease by immersing children in a virtual world of friendly, colorful forest creatures.

Upon arrival to the hospital, bright screens invite children to create custom animal companions. Each creature is native to the California landscape, but can be adorned with dozens of whimsical outfits and accessories—from a gold-colored fox wearing an acorn hat to a rainbow-adorned rabbit with a leaf mask. Children can interact with their forest friend one-on-one or "release it into the wild" on a 60-foot screen to see it play with other children's animals.

Features

With little precedent for large-scale digital experiences in pediatric care settings, the ESI Design team drew inspiration from installations in libraries, children’s museums and games. The final design was extensively tested using a full-scale mockup at NBBJ | ESI Design’s New York office.

Each day, more than 300 animals are created by patients, totaling 18,000 in two months. As Rachelle Bussell, senior vice president of advancement for Loma Linda University Health tells Fast Company magazine, “I’ve seen kids go from crying and stressed, mom’s holding their hand and they don’t want to be there, to interacting and having fun.”

Project Details

Client Name
Loma Linda University Health

Square Footage
Overall Area: 1,500 SF
Media Displays: 415 SF

Program
Digital Art Installation

Services
Experience design, interior design

Phase
Completed