The Solutia World of Color Awards™ | Inspired by Vanceva®

Hospitals are, by necessity, often large, utilitarian buildings. But that doesn’t mean they can’t also be cheerful, colorful, and kid-friendly. The All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida exemplifies this idea with a design that incorporates many glass windows in bright, fun colors. Project architect Ted Heldenbrand at Karlsberger perhaps summed it up best: “When we design hospitals, we design from the patient room out,” he says. “We wanted the patient rooms to be cheerful and colorful, and we extended that aesthetic into the glass windows.” For the children patients, the brightly colored windows inspire their imaginations and make the entire hospital experience less intimidating and more accessible.

Studies have shown that in hospitals, daylit interiors can help buoy patient morale and improve healing, so windows were a necessity in the All Children’s Hospital design. In Florida, however, glass needs to be able to provide hurricane protection as well as frame the views. Laminated glass provided a good solution because the PVB interlayers can stand up to damaging storms and also have the bright colors that inspire children to heal.

Project Category: Exterior

Project Name: All Children’s Hospital

Location: St. Petersburg, Florida

Glass Laminator/Supplier: Viracon, Inc.

Photographer Credit: Bann Tanner Photography – Michael L. Rixon

Karlsberger

Architect: Ted Heldenbrand

Address: 99 East Main Street, Columbus, OH 43215

Phone: 614-461-9500

The playful colors and futuristic design of the Casa de Bonecas makes this modern dollhouse a favorite among children and their parents. Lilac, pink, and blue take center stage in this space, creating a modern, but entertaining atmosphere for children to play. While missing some of the more traditional aspects of a children’s playhouse, the Casa de Bonecas wholly embraces the distinctive “sized-down” features of a dollhouse. Included in the design are child-size furniture, an abundance of toys and books, and even a miniature Barbie® chandelier. Children love to play and imagine inside the vividly hued space and parents appreciate the high visibility allowed by the uninterrupted transparency of the glass.

To achieve this continuous view, architect Brunete Fraccaroli minimized the use of structural connectors, so that the laminated glass is supported only by a few beams. Fraccaroli explained her affinity for using glass in the design, saying, “We can use it to separate the environments without losing the interactivity…it is a lightweight material and has characteristics of modernity.”

In this play space, the laminated glass also provides health and environmental benefits. The use of glass reduces the need for electric lighting, so children receive a healthy amount of natural sunlight that they wouldn’t normally get playing in an indoor space. Also, the glass controls the absorbance of heat and UV rays into the building, rendering heating and air conditioning almost unnecessary.

Project Category: Exterior

Project Name: Casa de Bonecas

Location: Sao Paulo, Brazil

Glass Fabricator: Serie SunGuard Guardian

Photographer Credit: Romulo Fialdini

Architect: Brunete Fraccaroli

Brunete Fraccaroli Arquitetura e Interiores

Address: Rua Batataes, 460 – 4º andar – Jardim Paulista

São Paulo São Paulo 01423-010

Phone: 55 11 3885-8309