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space, leaves little room for ambiguity or uncertainty in understanding the
final product.
In fact, over the last few years, the firm's in-house 3-D visualization
team has been developing several digital tools to supplement the physical mock-up experience. The simplest digital tool is a panoramic rendering, which allows a user to stand in a single point inside the room
to digitally " look " around a space using a handheld device like a smart
phone or tablet with orientation sensors. The 360-degree rendering of
the room can be aligned to the real-world space, allowing the user to simultaneously experience the spatial quality of the area and understand
the intended material qualities. This tool can also assist design teams in
presenting finish options by toggling between views.
This first generation 360-degree panoramic tool was designed to be
used with a VR headset with a phone inserted into it to view the panorama
as a virtual environment. Using Payette's Building Information Modeling
(BIM) software's rendering feature, the panoramic image can be easily
exported directly from BIM to present a view of the entire space as seen
from a single position. By simply scanning a QR code posted on a wall in the
mock-up, anyone can access the panorama on their own smart device.
The 3-D panoramic views are helpful, but they don't allow a person to
move around and better understand operational flow. That desire for
movement inspired the addition of an augmented reality (AR) component to track a person's movement and display multiple vantage points
within the mock-up space. Using a handheld tablet, a user can walk
through a highly detailed 3-D model representation of the space in real
time without having to click on QR codes.
REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE

Over the last 10 years, Payette has designed multiple imaging projects of
various modalities for Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)/Mass General Brigham in the Boston area. Many of these projects have been complex
surgical renovations within existing urban campuses. With the help of a
collaborative client manager and contractors, past in situ mock-ups were
able to resolve final detail elements of the design.
However, two years ago, Payette was approached by MGH to design a
space to support a new clinical model for outpatient imaging. The location
was a site within an outdoor retail shopping complex where MGH was already operating a primary care clinic, and leaders made the decision to secure the lease of the space at the beginning of design for the sole purpose
of building mock-ups there. This shelled retail storefront provided the rare
opportunity to not only have a wide-open space for scaled mock-ups but
to test key elements of the final design within the space where the project
would ultimately be constructed.
The project proposed an MRI site with three rooms to offer the ability
to scan as many patients as possible within a single day. To confirm the efficiency of the patient experience from arrival to departure as well as the
proposed MRI suite design, it was clear that the traditional, static mockup solution wasn't going to be sufficient. Overlaying virtual tools would
allow the end user to experience the future space from the front door to
the farthest staff office.
Three key areas-a patient prep bay, a full MRI room, and a portion of
the corridor that separated them-were constructed using partial-height
metal studs and polycarbonate sheeting. This physical space in the mockup was used to simulate the patient care process in a more intensive manner to determine adequate clearances, sufficient footprint, and viewing
angles. Then the virtual tools were brought in to round out the remaining

un-mocked-up spaces in the suite, the placement of the MRIs, and the proposed lighting
and finishes.
The AR feature helped finalize the design by
presenting a fully textured 3-D digital model of
the space via a tablet app and allowed users to
see high-resolution renderings from key points.
This reinvented mock-up experience was beneficial in shortening the project schedule by reducing the time needed for design sign-off. For
example, key clearances, storage configuration,
and mobile equipment maneuverability could
all be confirmed within a single one-hour meeting. The mock-up space also became a venue
to engage a larger cross-section of stakeholders-including administrative staff, facilities
personnel, and prospective financial donors-
who could quickly understand the space. It has
proved to be a helpful point of reference for contractors, as well. The MRI suite is expected to
open in late fall 2021.
CONTINUED EVOLUTION

During the past year, Payette has started new
projects that would benefit from a physical
mock-up. However, like many in our industry,
COVID-19 has required remote client engagement and rethinking how design ideas are presented. The virtual tool initially developed to be
used in person has now evolved into a web-based
app that can be shared with a URL web link and
viewed on any device. This app combines highquality 360-degree panoramic images generated
from a real-time rendering and VR plugin with a
full 3-D model of the space.
A digital feedback tool was added that allows
site visitors to leave virtual sticky note comments and feedback on specific areas of the model, which can be filtered based on department
and room element as well as whether feedback
was positive, neutral, or negative.
Architecture firms across the country are
looking to technology to supplement teamwork, both internally and externally-and from
a distance. The need to innovate alongside
healthcare providers also persists despite the
pandemic. Now is the time to explore the wide
array of technological tools available to be used
in new and exciting ways to support collaboration between all. 
Susan C. Blomquist, AIA, LEED AP, is associate
principal at Payette (Boston). She can be reached at
S B L O M Q U I S T @ P AY E T T E . C O M . Luke Gehron is
lead computational designer at Payette (Boston). He
can be reached at L G E H R O N @ P AY E T T E . C O M .

APRIL 2021

Healthcare Design - April 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Healthcare Design - April 2021