The design for the fitness stair includes floor to ceiling graphics that reflect fitness activities in Tucson and from around the state. Incentive programs are planned to encourage UMC staff to use the facility, track their progress, and improve their health. LRD met with several UMC committees that had a stake in the project, including the Fitness Committee, Senior Management Interior Review Committee, and Facilities and Maintenance. As the concept developed, we were able to suggest ways for direct staff involvement in the design, including development of the content for fitness messages in the stairs and a UMC photo contest for images of natural environments around Tucson. Each level of the stair corresponds to one of the eight biomes that occur between the Valley of Tucson and the top of Mount Lemmon.
The project is an example of structured, successful collaborative design, where the users truly participate in developing of the solution. In addition, the design was coordinated with the hospital wide interior finish master plan, which establishes color and materials palettes for each floor.
