Lusófona University project installs augmented reality murals in hospital

The project The Healing Nature installed three murals at Hospital Dona Estefânia, which will soon become interactive with the addition of animated sequences viewable via mobile phones.

The initiative aims to introduce a calming and engaging element into the waiting rooms of the paediatric hospital, reducing patients’ anxiety and promoting the mental, physical and spiritual well-being of the hospital community. The goal is to use interactive artworks in the hospital’s waiting rooms, offering patients a more immersive experience through augmented reality.

The murals are located in Waiting Room B – Multi-purpose Paediatric Emergency Department, in Waiting Room B of Immunology and Allergology, and in the Clinical Analysis Laboratory Waiting Room. The mural Spring Breeze, created by Natalie Woolf and the team from Lusófona University, is inspired by a spring meadow and watercolour representations of plants and landscapes. Its soft colour palette and layered structure create a calming visual atmosphere in the hospital’s waiting areas. This mural has been installed in hospitals in Portugal, Croatia and Bulgaria, highlighting the project’s shared European character.

Each mural was designed by one of the three institutions, depicting natural and relaxing environments. Natalie Woolf (CICANT - Centre for Research in Applied Communication, Culture and New Technologies), is the principal investigator and artistic director of the Lisbon team, working together with Pedro Serrazina, animation director and researcher, and with the psychology partners Ana Beato,Ana Loureiro and Isabel Santos from HEI-Lab | Digital Laboratories for Human Environments and Interactions .

The Healing Nature project is a European initiative funded by the Creative Europe programme and implemented by HDLU (Croatia), Lusófona University / COFAC (Portugal), and NBU – New Bulgarian University (Bulgaria). It is based on a holistic approach to health, recognising art and culture as important factors for mental, emotional and spiritual well-being. At a European level, the project encourages interdisciplinary collaboration between artists, animators, researchers and healthcare institutions, with a strong emphasis on inclusion, social engagement and the application of contemporary technologies in cultural and healthcare contexts.