Supergraphics —large-scale, printed artwork—have become commonplace in the overall design aesthetic of healthcare facilities. Used in both interior and exterior applications, these graphics can relay important messaging to patients. But when it comes to supergraphics, one area has been overlooked.
Designers who utilize supergraphics on walls may neglect the windows, perhaps even seeing them as something to work around. With graphic window shades, window openings create even more opportunity to relay important messages.
Here are a few advantages of using supergraphics in your healthcare facility:
Improved customer satisfaction.
Studies have shown that a view of nature shortens hospital stays and reduces the amount of medication required by patients. Not every window has a great view of nature, so why not use graphic shades to add it? Interior windows that look out over bleak courtyards or offices where the only view is another building can be turned into calming art by adding nature scenes.
More interior design opportunities.
No longer are windows an interruption in an interior design. With proper coordination, supergraphics on the walls can be continued across windows with graphic shades. Graphic shades can also be used as supergraphics on large window walls, or as individual design elements in rooms with a single opening.
Free external advertising.
Graphic shades can also help you make use of your windows for free advertising or to help patients find the building entrance they need. Whether using a single window or spreading your message across a bank of them, graphic shades can be printed with your eye-catching artwork and snappy message to get attention.
So, what do you need to consider when creating a supergraphic?
Draper graphic shade in an Aperion Care facility. Installationand photo by Insolar Window Treatments, Chicago, Illinois.
Image quality.
Just any old photo won’t do for such large-scale graphics. High-resolution images are required for large format printing, and for these large supergraphics, they also need to be big. Otherwise the final graphic will look pixelated or fuzzy. 300 dpi graphics at size are required for the best effect.
Permission.
Do not copy photos from the Internet without permission! This invites copyright infringement issues, plus such images are rarely of a resolution high enough for printing. If you need to purchase high resolution or vector artwork, you can obtain royalty-free stock images from providers such as www.istockphoto.com, among others. You must purchase these images and provide them to Draper. We can’t purchase them for you due to image licensing issues.
Emissions.
Water-based latex Inks used by Draper are UL ECOLOGO Certified, and GREENGUARD Gold Certified to standards for low chemical emissions into indoor air, and can be used on several GREENGUARD Gold certified fabrics. That means healthcare workers and patients won’t be able to smell them, and no special ventilation is necessary.
For information on graphic shades, click here.
To learn more about utilizing supergraphics in general, click here to read “Simplifying Supergraphics in Healthcare Environments,” a Healthcare Design Magazine article by Carolyn Fleetwood Blake, IIDA, LEED AP, EDAC, a senior interior designer for Gresham, Smith and Partners in Jacksonville, Florida.
