We had a large table with a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle, some plants & magazines on smaller tables around the room, some artwork and a selection of beanbags and cushions for people to sit on to relax. We had a meeting room about 4m x 4m which was large enough to allow us to set up a variety of different areas. There are endless possibilities for how to set up your “Zen Den” depending on the size of the space you have available. We made a sign for the door explaining that the “Zen Den” was a quiet space for relaxation, and that conversations should be had elsewhere to respect the nature of the space. On the Sunday afternoon before Wellness Week, we snuck in and surprised our colleagues by completing the room make-over. We booked a meeting room that is located out the back of the administrative area of the Emergency Department for a whole week. This allows staff who are only able to take a short 10 minute time-out to use it as well as staff who are able to take longer protected breaks. Ideally it should be located within the ED, to make it easily accessible to staff. They may be introverts who get their energy from spending time alone or just folks who like a bit of peace and quiet to break up their busy day. We need to respect that we work with many different types of people, some who may wish to recharge in private, take a nap, do yoga or meditate in their breaks. It is designed to be an area that staff can go to during their breaks to switch off for a moment and relax. Inspired by some fine examples on Twitter* we created our own “Zen Den”.Ī “Zen Den” is a quiet, calm, relaxing space within the Emergency Department or within the hospital. Some departments offer the additional option of an outdoor area that allows staff to get a healthy dose of fresh air and vitamin D during their breaks.įor Emergency Medicine Wellness Week 2019, we decided to try to create a place for quiet relaxation within our busy ED. But these are often anything but quiet with staff sharing stories, debriefing about patients and having a laugh. Most departments offer office spaces or a meal room setup which serve as places to take your breaks. It is therefore not surprising that staff often need a quiet place to take a break from the noise and chaos to relax and recharge. They operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Read more about Rider University's "Zen Den" here.Dr Allison Fifoot – Emergency Physician, The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane.Įmergency departments by their nature are busy and chaotic places. "We didn't want this to be a study space we wanted it to be a place to breathe and rejuvenate so students can return to their schoolwork feeling refreshed and restored." Leanna Fenneberg, Vice President of Student Affairs at Rider University. "Spiezle's exceptional work designing and creating this space exemplifies the need for an intentional place to quiet one's mind and spirit to counter the busyness of the day and the external environment," said Dr. According to Rider University, the space also benefits neurodivergent students who may have difficulties with overstimulation. Photo courtesy Rider UniversityĪdditional features of the Zen Den include large bean bags, lounge seating, and hanging chairs. A large forest mural adds to the lounge's biophilic influence as well, alongside its use of wood and neutral furniture color tones. For example, sensory features like hexagon-shaped touch lights offer a calming way to engage with simulated nature. With its wide array of furniture, the room can be configured in various ways to allow students unique ways of interacting with the environment. The Zen Den is split into zones to accommodate different aspects of mental well-being. The 'Zen Den' biophilic design and soothing features With input from student governments and facilities operations groups, the firm landed on a design that fits a vast array of students' needs. Spiezle collaborated with multiple university organizations to design the space. Neighbored with the Student Affairs and Office of Equity and Inclusion, the Zen Den sits in the heart of the university, aligning with Rider's wellness goals. The lounge came to life from repurposing an old computer lab on the university's Lawrenceville, N.J., campus. Rider University partnered with Spiezle Architectural Group to create a relaxation room for students, dubbed "The Zen Den." Built with mental health and wellness in mind, the space serves students in need of recharging and rejuvenating their mental well-being.
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