Akron Children’s Hospital

Akron, OH

From humble beginnings as a day nursery in 1890, Akron Children’s Hospital has evolved into the largest pediatric healthcare system in northeast Ohio, operating two hospitals, 22 offices, and approximately 70 specialty locations across the region – together drawing more than 650,000 patient visits each year.

A $200 million expansion of its Akron campus incorporates a theme of “things familiar” – in particular what a child would find in his or her back yard. Features include a “Blue Wall” spanning an open two-story space. Symbolizing a backyard fence, it is also visible from outside the building and incorporates a series of mounted wood veneer panels. Custom animated interactive elements are activated by motion sensors in some niches supplemented by static backlit images in others. Abstract Tree Sculptures are another feature provided by Xibitz. They stretch from floor to ceiling and are textured to enhance their resemblance to trees. Xibitz also executed the production, engineering, and installation of a chandelier representing a canopy of leaves. It utilizes panels of colored glass suspended at different heights that (move) with air movement.