Video: Explore the journey of curiosity and learning at Rady Children's Health Southwest Tower

Throughout the design process, I learned that designing for the pediatric journey means honoring vulnerability, imagination, resilience and joy.

This project shaped how I think as an experiential graphic designer and reminded me of the responsibility and potential for change we hold as designers. Many children will visit this building multiple times throughout their young lives, and it is the hope of the Experiential Graphics team that there is something new to learn and uncover in the Southwest Tower during each visit. 

In the video below, we follow the journey of patients, their loved ones and their clinicians as they experience the joy woven into every space within the building—where every floor reveals its own little world and children and families are surrounded by the magic and essence of childhood throughout their health journey.

The nine-story, 300,000-sf facility houses five floors of specialty clinics; a research institute floor for clinical trials and pediatric research; oncology infusion services; a comprehensive imaging center; and other vital resources and amenities for children and families.

From the moment of arrival, the experiential graphic program immerses visitors into a joyful celebration of wellness. At the entrance, a six-foot-tall sculpture of mascot Choco Bear greets arriving families, welcoming them to their health journey and reinforcing the “Long Live Childhood” brand message.

Thematic narratives align with clinical programming on each level and are brought to life through immersive corridor graphics inspired by natural Californian landscapes. Floor-to-ceiling shadowboxes display wellness statements surrounded by beloved Mattel toys that spark nostalgia within one’s inner child.

Five pillars of health — sleep, nutrition, movement, relationships and mental health — are large-scale niches on every floor and are displayed through multilingual photo-op moments. Interactive exhibits transform waiting into learning through play with molecular views, medical scans and glimpses into human body systems.

In other waiting areas, colorful lighting and shadows play across the walls, and a digital Lite Brite invites a touch of retro. Encouraging messages translated into six languages surround families with hope. The exam room graphics bring the tower’s landscape themes together within one floor, with each room representing a different environment featuring Choco Bear.

We are proud of this project and the impact it will have on children and their loved ones for years to come.