UW Medicine Diabetes Institute

A creative concept for a creative space.

The client’s original vision for the space had the wall graphic on the back wall of the long lobby. However in our initial walkthrough of the physical space, we saw an opportunity to shift the project’s direction for a larger impact and higher engagement for future patients and visitors. We proposed approaching the stakeholders with a bigger idea that would really amplify their message and really tell their history with powerful visuals, rather than hidden on the very back wall with low visibility.

We redirected their concept, and got approval for a better application of the space to best communicate the timeline across a big, long wall seen by most visitors—all while keeping the client’s goals and building’s interior design in mind. Jennergy specializes in concepting big ideas for the largest wow factor and impact, and this project was no exception. The history of the UWMDI is filled with prominent figures who have made transformative medical history and we wanted to ensure the timeline wall graphic would make a significant impact as well.

We then got to work measuring, planning, and collaborating with UW Medicine’s team of architects, project managers, and interior designers to create something to complement the space and the surrounding elements. The high windows were measured to echo the size of the opposite timeline wall. The design of not just the UWMDI’s floor but the entire building was considered. We poured over the interior mood boards, construction blueprints, and the client brief for a cohesive design plan.

Phase 2: The element of surprise

With the plan for a floor-to-ceiling timeline graphic in our heads, we returned to the space to see the newly painted patterned wall. Surprise! The wall was painted a modern, bright, geometric pattern—but only on the top half. The lower half had been covered with a white protective cover to account for the medical equipment and carts that would soon be traveling the halls. So we had to adapt our concept to accommodate. The timeline concept was tweaked to fit above the wall cover, which came up quite high. We also had this busy, bright geometric pattern to work with, so we used it to our advantage in our design. Incorporating the angles of the wall pattern into the final concept provided a dynamic and engaging timeline that complements its environment.

Phase 3: Installation

We were present for the installation of the timeline wall graphics—we must oversee the installation to ensure a perfect application from start to finish. Accounting for the dynamic painted pattern along with our careful measurements meant making slight adjustments to placement so the finished graphics look their best. The signage team was wonderful to collaborate with, and we appreciated how much they cared about those little details. A great deal can be accounted for in advance with careful planning and mapping, but seeing things in person often leads to necessary tweaks for a successful installation. After all, our vision is only as good as the execution of the final deliverable.