Hospital Walkway

Being stuck in the hospital a lot of this past week I was able to explore the walkways outside Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon. This hospital and its staff do everything they can to make its patients feel cared for and at home during their stay. This outside area is one of the features of DHMC that keeps its patients positive, especially in the summer, when staying inside can become depressing. Having a place where patients can escape and forget about their illness for a while, or where visitors can relax, makes the hospital less of a negative place to be in. It also serves a practical purpose, by being an area were patients can get exercise. The artwork, greenery, and amenities, make the walkway around DHMC a pleasant public space.

While the walkway connects to many trails and areas of DHMC, I stayed in a section near the main entrance with a park and many places to sit. The path is clear and walkable, making it easy for patients to use the route to get around. It is also accesible to people in wheelchairs or others that may have physical disabilities. The many trails that spring off of the main walkway are also appropriate for people looking for adventure and a longer walk.

The first feature of this path that one notices when exiting the hospital is the shady area filled with picnic tables. I observed many hospital staff and patients using the area to eat lunch. This eating place is attractive for the shade and generous amounts of foliage. Nearby, there are also many benches scattered along the path and a park for children to enjoy. These details make this public space tranquil and inviting. It is well-suited to anyone who may want to enjoy some time outside the hospital.

Walking further down the main path leads you past various pieces of art, one of which in particular stood out to me as being important in this public space. This piece, "Blue Lady" by Barbara Kaufman, depicts the female form in a blue dress that creates a calm and positive mood. The figure is looking off somewhere else, reminding the viewer to look outward and have hope for change. Comparing this sculpture to Kaufman's other sculptures, I believe that this form is meant to represent a maternal figure. Many of Kaufman's other art pieces depict the female form with gentle and serene expressions or positions. This sculpture at DHMC seems to watch over the patients and bring positive feelings to anyone who stops to observe the sculpture. I think Kaufman's purpose with this piece was to add a motherly guardian to the walkways of the hospital to bring peace to minds of those who may be stressed.

Other art pieces along the paths around DHMC serve a similar purpose as the "Blue Lady." They encourage passersby to stop and think about the art, instead of dwelling on their possibly difficult circumstances. Art pieces in public spaces enhance the positive feelings people get from visiting a location. In this case, the sculptures are an effective reinforcement to the pathways that are meant for healing and relaxation.