This project will explore the concept of care through hands-on and collaborative approaches, aiming to re-imagine what care and the clinic of the future can be.
A few questions that will be explored:
- What defines the clinic?
- How can we provide care that will “see” the person in need?
- What dialogues need to take place to rethink care?
My research has two focus areas:
- To experiment and establish new objects, tools, and methods to research through design and open dialogues about medicine and care. To connect patients with doctors and caregivers in co-creative and safe ways. To stay open to the process of uncovering and questioning different aspects within the realm of healthcare.
- To use these conversations and uncovered insights as a catalyst to re-think and re-imagine the clinic. There are many aspects of the clinic both tangible, such as the objects, tools, and the environment, and intangible, such as the social interactions and care practices that take place. This project will take a collaborative approach in re-imagining both the tangible and intangible aspects of the clinic of the future.
My hope is that this project can both expand the boundaries of design and improve how we care.
Amy van den Hooven: I am a multidisciplinary designer focused on re-imagining healthcare. My interest in designing to improve the way care is provided comes from both a personal place of living with an auto-immune disease and a collective place as there are an increasing number of people suffering from diseases, chronic pain, and mental health struggles, just to name a few.
Since 2010, I have designed spaces, objects and services that are focused on both helping people and exploring complex and pressing questions related to care. My recent work has been developing tangible forms to help people communicate the complexity of their pain. I continue to explore the use of objects and develop new art inspired approaches as a method to open-up dialogue in health settings. Designing to connect people and to create a safe place for discussing, questioning, and re-imagining healthcare is at the core of my design practice.
I am a Canadian that Graduated with a Bachelor of Environmental Design from the University of British Columbia (2015) and a Master in Design from the University of Bergen (2021). Currently a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Bergen, Norway.