Health Care Interior Design: Where the Green Jobs Are
by Wendy Croixwendy.croix@interiordesignschoolreview.com
Interior Design Columnist
Health care design is a hot market for interior design jobs these days, with leaders in the industry predicting a boom in this design specialty in California, New York and New Jersey, especially. Top design firms have seen a 50% increase in their business in medical interiors in the past year. The greening of this design field only adds to its growth potential and its allure for designers in training. Here's how to get an overview of the field and plan an interior design school educational strategy.
Preview the design of a healthcare interior
Nothing helps you appreciate the scope and possibilities of healthcare interior design like a great case study. The November issue of Interior Design details the design of a Berlin orthopedic surgeon's medical office. With a color scheme that includes peach, celadon, and apple green and a desk that takes its shape from the human spinal column, this office design will convince you that health care design won't condemn you to a sterile world of clinical white.Browse the websites of top design firms specializing in health care design. Omaha's HDR (hdrinc.com), Boston's Cannon Design (cannondesign.com), New York's Perkins Eastman (perkinseastman.com), Seattle's NBBJ (nbbj.com), and Minneapolis' Smithgroup (smithgroup.com) are the cream of the crop.
The interior design school education that opens health care design doors
If you dream of creating hospital, clinic, medical office, and long-term care interiors, set some goals for your education. You'll need a bachelor's degree in interior design, of course, but look for a program that offers courses in green or sustainable design. This past year, the Center for Health Design, a leading organization in the field, added green design to its recommended design elements.You'll need powerful presentation skills, both oral and visual, and you'll need excellent AutoCAD skills, too. Most important, you should look for an internship in healthcare interior design. Top design firms offer them, and they offer scholarships to support study in this design specialty. You can find the top 40 firms in the healthcare design field in the November 2005 issue of Interior Design.
Sources:
The Center for Health Design
"A dose of creativity," by Kelly Beamon. Interior Design 76.14 (Nov 2005).
"Just what the doctor ordered," by Mairi Beautyman. Interior Design 76.14 (Nov 2005).
About the Author
Wendy Croix, Ph.D. is a freelance writer, cultural critic, and university professor. In her twenty years as a professional educator, Wendy has guided hundreds of students toward the careers of their dreams.
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