Wilson Hospice House, designed by Perkins + Will, recently won the Caritas Project's Generative Space Award. This recognition is appropriate because its design has a special psychological effect on the people who spend time there.

The website for the award states that a generative space satisfies the following criteria: "It improves the health and well-being of all; It improves the performance and effectiveness of the provider organization; Produces systemic and sustainable improvements over time; Improvements are measurable and demonstrate documented evidence substantiating these improvements; Fosters a breadth of improvement ranging from the unique experience of individuals to the establishment of communities that foster health, vitality, and well being."

Wilson Hospice House clearly is a generative space. Its patient rooms and common areas are flooded with natural light, which not only helps to keep circadian rhythms in check, but also boosts mood. The large windows that supply all that daylight link people inside the building to the wooded grounds. The nature scenes are welcoming and draw people (at least mentally) into the outdoor spaces, relieving stress among patients, caregivers, and staff. The sorts of views provided help people restock their mental energy. Patients, even if they are bed-bound, can move outside through the French doors in each room that lead onto outdoor patios. Homelike materials are used throughout so visitors find the hospice more welcoming and less institutional. The layout of spaces, particularly the common ones, and the materials used nonverbally say "you're home."