The Atrium Project

The Atrium Project 2004

Outpatient Clinic Children’s Hospital Oakland, CA

cedar logs, paint, hand dyed rip-stop nylon, silk, fiberglass, bamboo.

Commissioned by Children’s Hospital Oakland

10,000 sq. ft. with Miller Company Landscape Architects, Trachtenberg Architects

Augusta Talbot and Dancing Frog


The elevator tower and twelve structural columns become the sculptural elements for a play of color in a formerly antiseptic white space. Utilizing the abundant natural light of the five–story atrium, this clinic transformation creates a restorative, interactive space addressing the critical issues of pediatric environmental sensitivities, accessibility and 24-hour use by medical staff. The hand-carved and stained cedar trunks recall totemic structures and tropical flora and fauna. Cedar logs are topped by crowns of “tropical” foliage fabricated from hand-dyed textile. Clusters of painted and dyed kites, spheres and pods are suspended overhead. Shadows of painted animals lope the length of the atrium foregrounding the leafy shadows projected onto the walls. The serpentine bench runs the length of both spaces and serves as both seating and climbing element. The re-envisioned clinic has become both a respite and the site for fundraisers, telethons, celebrations and community events.