S-Tiles - Heart Hospital, Palm Springs

	[RANCHO MIRAGE HEART HOSPITAL]
	Name: Rancho Mirage Heart Hospital		Design: One Dream Design, Palm Springs
	Destination of use: healthcare structure		Manufacturer: Gruppo Ceramiche Ricchetti
	City: Palm Springs, California		Ceramic Materials: single-fired tiles
	Country: Stati Uniti d’America
	Type of intervention: paving and internal restructuring
	Costumers: Rancho Mirage
	Year of completion: 1998
	The Project
	For years, internal architecture in the healthcare sector has been influenced by a conservative vision that, in guarding aseptic coatings, has utilised preferably synthetic materials and neutral colours that are inevitably prone to wearing and consequently create a depressing atmosphere. Adam Rubinstein, artist and designer at the American studio One Dream Design is responsible for the project of the Heart Hospital in Rancho Mirage, California. He courageously revolutionised these schemes, proposing an alternative environment aimed at stimulating the well being of the patients, thanks to the beneficial aspects of colour and the use of decorative geometric motifs inspired by Escher and Islamic art. This is seen in the flooring: forgetting the old ‘look’, the floors have been entirely covered with tiles, designed purposely by the artist for the italian firm. The ceramic coverings are developed along the corridors, creating metamorphic figure of lines with organic features that continue through to the inside of each of the twelve rooms in the intensive care unit.