19: Whitney Hendrickson

19: Whitney Hendrickson

Author: Porcelanosa September 6, 2019 Duration: 37:47

Whitney Hendrickson, former Pediatric RN and current Healthcare Interior Designer at Perkins+Will shares her thoughts on what hospitals might look like in the year 2040. "I'm sure there will be smart footwalls, maybe an Alexa-style nurse call system, a way to take peoples' weights through the floor and their blood pressure through the bed they are sitting in," says Whitney. Tune into this and more on what it's like to be a healthcare interior designer from the perspective of a former pediatric nurse on today's episode of Healthcare Interior Design 2.0 - The Lightning Round. 

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Additional support for this podcast comes from our industry partners:

  • The Center For Health Design
  • The Nursing Institute for Healthcare Design

Learn more about how the Center for Health Design can support your firm by visiting: http://healthdesign.org.

Connect to a community interested in supporting clinician involvement in design and construction of the built environment by visiting The Nursing Institute for Healthcare Design at https://www.nursingihd.com/.


Hosted by Porcelanosa, Healthcare Interior Design 2.0 explores a field in the midst of a profound shift. This isn't just about choosing paint colors or furniture; it's a deep, necessary conversation about the very spaces where healing happens. Each episode grapples with essential questions that sit at the unique intersection of art, medicine, and human well-being. We consider how to build environments that truly serve every person in a community, acknowledging the full spectrum of human diversity and need. The discussions are grounded in real-world application, moving from broad concepts to tangible details. You'll hear about specific challenges, like redesigning cancer care units to reduce anxiety, or selecting materials that resist infection without sacrificing beauty or sustainability. The podcast delves into how intentional design choices-from layout to lighting to acoustics-directly impact not only patients, but also the families who visit them and the clinical staff working long shifts. It’s a thoughtful examination of how compassion and curiosity can be built into the walls around us, making healthcare spaces more effective, inclusive, and humane. Tune in for a series that redefines what’s possible when we thoughtfully design for health.
Author: Language: Afar Episodes: 100

Healthcare Interior Design 2.0
Podcast Episodes
17, Part 1, Amy Mays [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:27
My guest today is Amy Mays, Interior Design Practice Leader at HDR's New York, New York architecture studio. "There are kiosk check-ins and wait time calculators so members are constantly informed," says Amy about the ch…
17, Part 2, Amy Mays [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:48
In the second part of my conversation with Amy Mays, Interior Design Practice Leader at HDR's New York, New York architecture studio, Amy shares what it was like to walk into the operating room to have 20 strangers stari…
16, Part 1, Sara Parsons [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:18
Today I'm joined by the wicked smart, funny and talented Sara Parsons, Principal at Gallun Snow - a nationally recognized interior design firm that specializes in healing, learning and community environments. She says, "…
16, Part 2, Sara Parsons [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:32
In the second part of my conversation with the talented Sara Parsons, Principal at Gallun Snow Interior Design, Sara discusses the importance of artwork, color and furnishings in the behavioral and mental healthcare sett…
15, Part 1: Debra Levin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:17
Today, I'm joined by Debra Levin, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Center for Health Design--a nonprofit organization whose mission it is to transform healthcare environments into a healthier, safer world thr…
15, Part 2: Debra Levin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:10
In the second part of my conversation with Debra Levin, CEO and President of The Center for Health Design, you'll hear about Debra's "aha" moment when she was with her dying mom in the ICU and subsequent hospice care. Th…
14, Part 1: Lisa Bonnet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:05
Today I'm joined by Lisa Bonnet, Senior Interior Designer at the prestigious e4h - Environments for Health Architecture - a global architecture firm committed exclusively to the design of innovative health facilities. We…
14, Part 2: Lisa Bonnet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:57
In the second part of my conversation with Lisa Bonnet, Senior Interior Designer at the prestigious e4h - Environments for Health Architecture, Lisa discusses the advancements in surface products in the hospital space th…
13, Part 1: Scott McFadden [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:22
Today I'm joined by Scott McFadden, Director of Design at BSA LifeStructures--an architectural and engineering firm that designs facilities to support, enhance and inspire healing, learning and discoveries. Scott is bril…
13, Part 2: Scott McFadden [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:03
In the second part of my conversation with Scott McFadden, Director of Design at BSA LifeStructures--an architectural and engineering firm that designs facilities to support, enhance and inspire healing, learning and dis…