COANIQUEM: Safe Niños: Development Seminar | Co-creating Innovative Healing Environments for Children

Consisting of 60 v-shaped panels made of aluminum, the Two-Way Sign will be located under the overhang across the main door. The paneled sign will be legible from 60 feet away and, depending on orientation, will read “Hola” or “Chao” (hello, goodbye) in vibrant eye-catching colors. Stylized Healing Tree animal graphics welcome with a friendly wave.

Mountainous flat outlines surround walkways where children can use their imagination as they engage in physical activities. Pathways become gateways to adventure in these gentle sloping structures. Mounted on two curved molds, a Running Mountain structure is inspired by skate board ramp construction; Music Mountain features musical wind chimes (steel tubes) that can be struck to create rhythmic tones. Mountain panel pieces will have painted edges.

A Bench Seating element also incorporates a curvy mountain outline and is painted with the calming colors of green and blue. Created with a soft wood such as cedar or California redwood, these outdoor pieces of furniture are easy to assemble with simple hardware. An efficient layout pattern of the uncut pieces – put together like a jigsaw puzzle – will help reduce cost and waste.

A Giant Jenga –like game engages different generations with the popular game and features words from “Dame La Mano” (“Give Me Your Hand”) by poet Gabriela Mistral. The inspiring stanzas – Give me your hand and we will dance together – subtly reassures patients and families.

The Desert Bloom Hopscotch invites children to create their own self-directed game near the waiting room where they can jump on colorful small petals, numbered circular shapes and/or leaves that are applied on the concrete via long-lasting ultraviolet paint.

An open-air prefab Wooden Pergola sets the boundaries for the Healing Garden that features:

• Wooden Animal Planters incorporate three Healing Tree animal shapes on multiple levels: a 30-inch Rabbit Planter, a 24-inch Deer Planter and a 12-inch Tortoise Planter. Crafted out of pine lumber, these prefab planters are customized with simple ears, heads and tails. Low ramps allow accessibility for wheelchair users and young children. Planters can be combined with mountain panels for versatility and interest.

• A Vertical Poem Garden is a free-standing wall with sectional elements visible on both sides. The steel-framed garden structure artfully intersperses felt pocket planters (with live green plants, soil and drainage cells), plug-in planters (for larger plants), open mesh screens (holding air plants) and laser-cut words from “Dame La Mano” (Give me your hand and we will dance together) created out of brushed steel. When correctly aligned, as the sun goes down, the poetic words will be projected shadows on the ground. The wall base features thick mesh cages with stones to support the wall and provide texture diversity.

• A Shade Structure will stretch overhead to protect from the heat of the day.

Taking its design cue from the nearby desert, the Wishing Cactus invites anyone (guests, patients, family, etc.) to write encouraging words, describe their feelings, and/or draw emotions, etc. on a paper cactus flower. Cactus flowers are handed out near reception area; the Wishing Cactus will be located nearby. Flowers are placed on a 6-foot tall wooden cactus that is created with a plywood base, and features small wooden plugs that secure the paper blooms. Flowers will be removed monthly, but a digital image of each note will be taken and played on a loop on a nearby monitor.

The main hallway leading to the Psychology Room will be enhanced to provide comfort and reassurance to patients and families as they approach the treatment door. The graphic system combines three elements: 3D hanging objects, 2D decorative illustrations and room signage.

3D star mobiles will hang from the ceiling in groupings of five large and small stars from unseen monofilament wires. Yellow and orange star outlines will be created in wood using a template.

The hallway becomes an immersive nighttime environment with floor to ceiling purple-hued 2D illustrations on both sides. One scene depicts a calm moon swinging a mouse while other mice scamper among cactuses, rocks and around tortoises. The other side shows imagery of a hanging telescope pointed toward the night sky that focuses on smiling stars and constellations; mice are looking through the scope while human shadow figures – an adult and children – approach as if to wait in line.

Room signage will incorporate specific Healing Tree animals associated with the room’s purpose. These 3-D signs will protrude out from the upper door area and feature cut-out animals standing on the room name that uses the COANIQUEM stencil word font. These plywood signs with acrylic surfaces will be affixed with secured brackets and screws.

An interactive wall game will help young minds relax and focus attention on a fun activity. The Puzzle Gem Game: Collect the Gem invites children to maneuver a maze to collect gems with underground miner mice. Affixed to a wall, the game will be positioned at a child’s height and extend to the ground.

Every child admitted into COANIQUEM receives a special storytelling artifact that describes a journey of familiar characters symbolically reflecting the patient’s journey into wellness. Camilla and Lucas accompany the children through the COANIQUEM treatments, helping them understand the challenges and fears but also learn lessons in endurance, the holistic approach to healing and the power of friendship.

At Antofagasta, children will receive a colorful story wheel “The Healing Treasure” that can be spun to describe steps in the journey (reception, wound dressing, psychology, etc.) which are represented by animal friends. The story wheel is an illustrated design with corresponding text bound together by a brad fastener.

Created with v-shaped MDF wood panels, the playful wall will be located at the third floor reception area and will incorporate cheerful colors along with stylized Healing Tree imagery of Gato Huiña and local fish. Depending on the direction, large vinyl graphics will read “Hola” or “Chao” (hello and goodbye).

Located outside of the elevator and taking advantage of natural sunlight, this Living Wall features sectional elements that contain laser-cut metal words from the poem “Dame La Mano,” living plants in fabric pockets and mesh screens. Crafted with sheet metal and adorned with vinyl stickers, the wall reflects the site’s color palette and will be visible from inside and outside.

For this small location, mountain-themed furniture engages children for play and also provides storage space for toys and other items. Mini Mountain Stools and a Mini Mountain Activity Table are created with giant industrial cardboard tubes. Stools can be easily moved around and provide children with correct height to play at the table. Constructed with lightweight cork and waterproof fabric, lids can be lifted up and removed so items can be placed inside these thick cylinders.

Wall graphics featuring a snorkeling Gato Huina underwater with friendly coral, clams, seahorses and starfish, will be a vinyl print that employs bright cheerful tones and provide the space with a touch of transformative magic. Imagery is applied using an efficient stencil technique with paint.

Inspired by the nearby ocean, the Courageous Coral invites anyone (guests, patients, family, etc.) to write encouraging words, describe their feelings, draw emotions, etc. on a paper starfish and then place it on a colorful underwater scene. Paper starfish are handed out near check-in area; the wooden coral imagery panel is nearby. Guests place the paper starfish on small wooden notched dowel on the panel to secure them. Starfish messages will be removed monthly, but a digital image of each note will be taken and played on a loop on a nearby monitor.

Across from the Welcoming Wall, three Interactive Portholes offer children opportunities to play and test their small hand motor coordination as they concentrate on manipulating objects and scenes. Each porthole has a design theme: appearance, labyrinth and movement. Designed for small hands and all the same size, portholes are made with MDF wood with vinyl illustrations and employ lazy Susan-style frames.

• Appearance: A scene of Camilla and Lucas on a boat with a 3D starfish waving goodbye to Gato Huina. When children twist the entire outer circle a dolphin (in a hidden cutout layer) jumps into the air behind them.

• Labyrinth: Children navigate a zig-zag maze pattern as they move a wooden ship containing Camilla and Lucas through ocean waters to visit four islands to search for gems.

• Movement: Spinning a circular cutout, children uncover images of magical animal friends; magic pearls (glass beads) fall inside the wave cutouts in the porthole.

Door signage for hallway rooms will consist of two elements: a porthole with no words but an image of a Healing Tree animal friend (rabbit, turtle, peacock, whale, etc.) placed at a child’s level; and the official room name in words placed at adult height. Signage will be constructed out of MDF and the removable system allows for an easy change as needed.

As with those admitted to Puerto Montt, every child receives a special storytelling artifact that describes a journey of familiar characters that symbolically reflects the patient’s journey into wellness. Children will receive an illustrated story folder depicting Camilla, Lucas, Gato Hunina and other smiling animals. Opening the folder, a 3D ship pops open; Camilla and Lucas use this vessel on their quest to find “The Healing Spring” with the story told in surrounding text.

The child can write their name on the front of the folder, while on the back, parents can place important documents in a cutout flap pocket. The child can carry the folder to future treatment visits.