COANIQUEM is a private non-profit rehabilitation institution that provides pediatric patients with free, high-quality treatment and comprehensive family support at its centers, which are located in Chile. Our team collaborated with COANIQUEM, building upon the Healing Tree story to design an interactive, welcoming graphics system. This initiative aims to transform the treatment process into an engaging journey, helping patients and their families navigate and understand the treatment through the story's values, thus reducing stress.

The Healing Tree story follows Camila and Lucas on their quest to find a magical tree that heals wounds, encountering various animals representing COANIQUEM's departments along the way. This narrative fosters a connection between patients and staff, emphasizes educational aspects, and motivates completion of the treatment, aiding in the healing of both physical injuries and psychological trauma.

Each COANIQUEM center adapts this story to reflect its geographic and cultural context. For instance, in Concepcion, located by the Biobio river and home to the indigenous Mapuche tribe, we tailored the story to include a journey along the Biobio river, incorporating local cultural elements into the design. This approach not only addresses a challenge unique to the Concepcion clinic but also employs three innovative strategies—spatial, physical, and digital—to enhance patient engagement and support a holistic healing experience.

Burn injuries present a significant health crisis across Latin America, affecting over 7 million individuals annually, including 80,000 children in Chile alone. These injuries leave deep physical and emotional scars. In response, our project engaged deeply with Coaniquem, a renowned treatment center in Santiago, Chile. Through two weeks of immersive field research with staff, families, and patients, we were inspired to create a holistic healing journey experience. This initiative encompasses a visual illustration series, the Healing Journey Welcoming Kit, and an interactive website tailored to the Biobio region's unique cultural backdrop. Our project aims to broaden the reach of the "Healing Tree'' story, which uses animals to symbolize different therapeutic paths, thereby enhancing the healing process.

Introduction of Each Part

At the outset of their healing journey, patients and their families are introduced to a spatial map mural upon entering the waiting room. This mural aims to bridge the gap between the Healing Tree story—previously known only to staff—and the patients and their families, fostering a deeper connection and understanding. The map, while not serving as a traditional navigational tool, indicates the general layout of treatment rooms and significant areas, encouraging interaction and discussion rather than passive observation.

The Healing Journey Welcoming Kit extends the narrative of the Healing Tree, aiming to make the treatment process less daunting and more engaging for children. This innovative kit transforms the clinical environment into a more welcoming space that encourages children to look forward to their treatments. It includes a guiding map, an AR-enhanced illustrated book, and a board game, all designed to bring the story and its values to life, fostering engagement and understanding.

Building on this foundation, the Safe Niños website further enriches the healing journey, translating the tangible elements of the mural and welcoming kit into an interactive digital experience. With its thoughtful integration of the Healing Tree narrative, the website serves as a comforting and engaging hub, seamlessly connecting patients and their families with the resources and support they need during recovery. By combining warm, culturally inspired color palettes with simple navigation and interactive storytelling, the website ensures a seamless continuation of the holistic healing environment, making the recovery process more accessible and meaningful for everyone involved.

Design Aesthetics

Our design thoughtfully integrates the cultural and environmental essence of Chile's Bio Bio Region. Drawing from our interactions with the local community and patients in Concepción, the kit features animals specific to the region's ecoregions, helping families connect with the treatment narrative. This storytelling is enriched by our ongoing partnership with Art Center College of Design, and contributions from students like Alvin and Belle. The kit's design prioritizes child appeal and cost efficiency, using simple yet effective forms to minimize manufacturing and assembly costs, while incorporating vibrant colors inspired by Mapuche culture to captivate children's interest.

Enhancing Healing Through Cultural and Interactive Design

As patients navigate through different rooms, they engage with unique animal illustrations designed to facilitate conversations between the staff and patients, each symbolizing a core value of the healing process. For example, the peacock, symbolizing rebirth, adorns the wound dressing room. Unlike traditional portrayals of peacocks with lavish tails, our illustration captures a moment of vulnerability — the shedding of its tail. This serves as a metaphor for the molting process, sparking curiosity and discussion about renewal and recovery. This imagery mirrors the wound-debridement procedure — the removal of unhealthy tissue to promote healing — a process that can be particularly daunting for children due to its painful nature. Thus, the peacock not only provides a visual distraction but also acts as a comforting presence, encouraging patients to remain hopeful throughout their treatment.

Another innovative space is the gym, designed for occupational and physical therapy. Here, the environment is imbued with vibrant colors and dynamic elements, encouraging children to engage in movement and play alongside representations of a bunny and a dog, symbolizing the physical and occupational therapy departments, respectively. This design strategy aims to inspire positive energy and movement, enhancing the therapeutic experience.

The uniqueness of the Concepcion clinic is further highlighted through its integration of local culture and traditions. Situated in Southern Chile, where the Biobio river flows and the indigenous Mapuche people, renowned for their textile craftsmanship, reside, the clinic incorporates these elements into its design. For instance, the peacock's tail features the Mapuche's ketel pattern, symbolizing protection, which aligns with its role in the wound-dressing department. Similarly, the alpaca illustration, representing dermatology, bears a fabric pattern reminiscent of the Pehuenche people's horse garments, emphasizing comfort and care. The inclusion of symbolic natural elements like the Araucaria and Canelo trees further connects the clinic's healing environment to the region's cultural and natural heritage.

The Healing Journey Welcoming Kit is crafted with consideration for safety, cleanliness, and sustainability. Economical design choices, such as a double-sided guiding map and AR-enhanced illustration books, maximize resource efficiency without compromising on quality or engagement. The board game's packaging and components are designed for durability and environmental friendliness, featuring locally sourced wood and easy-to-assemble elements. This comprehensive approach ensures the kit is not only educational and engaging but also respectful of cultural values and mindful of environmental and production efficiencies, setting a new standard in therapeutic tools for pediatric healthcare.

This strategy is carried through to the website, which offers a digital reflection of the clinic's ethos, prioritizing ease of navigation and user-friendly interfaces while subtly weaving in the cultural narratives. The focus on sustainability and environmental responsibility is evident in the choice of materials and the design methodologies employed, ensuring that the project not only supports the healing journey of its young patients but does so in a manner that is respectful of the environment and the local community's values.

Benefit to User

The graphic illustrations around the space help to alleviate patients and their family's stress due to the burn incident since the treatment is intended to heal the patient not only physically but also emotionally and psychologically. That way, they could feel like they are going on a pleasant journey instead of a stressful and painful treatment process.

The Healing Journey Welcoming Kit benefits young patients by providing an educational and entertaining experience, allowing them to engage with the Healing Tree story tangibly. For parents, especially those from the Mapuche community, it bridges a connection to their cultural heritage, enriching family time with shared activities reinforcing the healing process. Coaniquem staff benefit from the kit's interactive elements, facilitating more profound connections with children during treatment and promoting a more supportive and understanding environment.

The website is a virtual extension of the clinic's healing environment by providing easy access to information, resources, and interactive elements that reflect the Healing Journey Welcoming Kit. It enables families, especially those unable to visit the clinic frequently, to stay connected with the treatment journey and access educational materials that further understanding and involvement in their child's recovery. Additionally, this digital platform supports patients' and their families' emotional and psychological healing. It empowers them with knowledge and resources, making healing more accessible and less daunting.

Benefit to Society

All three elements in the Holistic Healing Environment represent a holistic approach to healthcare, deeply considering social, cultural, and environmental factors. It aids in the healing process of burn victims by connecting them with their environment and heritage, fostering a sense of identity and belonging. The project's commitment to sustainability, through the choice of materials and manufacturing processes, demonstrates how design can have a reduced environmental impact while fulfilling its functional and educational objectives. This initiative serves as a model for future healthcare environments, suggesting that medical treatments can be complemented by designs that heal the mind and spirit, promote environmental stewardship, and strengthen community ties.