With the opening of its children’s department, Dr Martin Horvat Special Hospital for Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation in Rovinj provides its youngest patients with neurodevelopmental risks and developmental difficulties with all the specific healthcare services they need in one place. The department’s visual identity is inspired by the natural environment of Rovinj and its characteristic plant and animal life, creating a welcoming and stimulating setting that softens the experience of a hospital environment.

The department extends across three levels, each representing a different part of the natural world. The journey begins underwater on level -1, continues through a Mediterranean landscape with local plants and animals on the ground floor, and concludes on the first floor in a world of clouds and flight. The illustrations are developed from simple geometric forms, which are combined to create recognisable motifs of Rovinj’s flora and fauna.

In certain areas, the signage becomes part of the spatial narrative: motifs emerge from the walls, while the corridors feature interactive elements inspired by tactile exercises that encourage motor development. Developed in collaboration with hospital specialists and based on their research, the visual system is adapted to children with developmental difficulties. Simple shapes, soft lines and a carefully selected colour palette create an environment that is visually engaging, unobtrusive and calming.