A Joyful Retreat for Healing: The Teen Room at Rocky Mountain Children’s Hospital
- Heidi Mendoza
- Oct 20
- 2 min read
When I was asked to reimagine a space for teenage patients at Rocky Mountain Children’s Hospital, I knew this couldn’t feel like a hospital room. It needed to be a place of color, comfort, and a sense of independence, a space where teens could simply be. For young patients spending weeks or months in a clinical environment, the goal was to offer a sense of normalcy, creativity, and calm, a small sanctuary within the larger world of medical routines.
Before: the existing space felt clinical and underutilized, lacking warmth and flexibility for teenage patients.
This thoughtfully designed teen room serves as a much-needed escape, blending emotional support with function through biophilic and neurodivergent-informed design principles. Every detail was chosen to create moments of ease, self-expression, and belonging, qualities that are essential to healing but too often missing in institutional spaces.
The layout supports flexibility for different moods and energy levels. A cozy movie-viewing area with modular seating invites relaxation and connection; playful gaming and foosball zones encourage movement and social interaction. A crafting bar and kitchenette offer opportunities for creativity, independence, and shared rituals like making popcorn or cocoa. For moments of quiet, a tucked-away alcove provides a softer, more introspective space for reading or reflection.
The material palette draws from nature, muted earthy tones, organic shapes, and soft textures that promote sensory comfort and familiarity. Rounded corners and tactile surfaces reduce visual harshness, while subtle nods to the natural world help calm the nervous system. Even small details, the curve of a counter edge, the warmth of a wood finish, the gentle rhythm of lighting, contribute to a sense of emotional safety and visual harmony.
Designing this space was a reminder that healing environments must engage both body and mind. The result is a room that feels joyful yet restorative, an inclusive, uplifting sanctuary for teenage patients navigating long hospital stays.
For me, this project reinforces what I believe most deeply: good design doesn’t just change how a space looks; it changes how people feel within it. When we design with empathy, we design for healing.
This project was made possible through a partnership between re.dzine, D4 Architecture, McCormick Construction, the Rocky Mountain Children’s Hospital team, and the Rocky Mountain Children’s Health Foundation, whose vision and compassion helped bring the Teen Room to life.
As Cathy Sandoval, Executive Director of the Foundation, shared in her letter to supporters:
“Teenagers are often overlooked in the pediatric healthcare landscape. They crave independence, connection, and normalcy, yet long hospital stays take much of that away. The Teen Lounge project creates a place where they can relax, make friends, play games, or simply sit quietly and feel like themselves again.”
Her words reflect exactly why this space matters, it’s more than a room; it’s a reminder that healing must include the emotional journey too.
The Teen Room is now underway, with completion anticipated in early 2026.
To see the impact of this space and the stories behind it, watch the short video created by Rocky Mountain Children’s Hospital.
🎥 Watch the project video here
Where design meets healing,
Heidi
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