Apple is helping finance a major remodel of Stanford Hospital (where Jobs was photographed by the sleazy National Enquirer). But is Apple also helping design the $2 billion facility, perhaps based on the design of its retail stores?
Check out the rendering of the atrium above. Look familiar? Note the massive skylight, the marble floors. Is that a Genius Bar on the right?
Most important, the brains behind Apple’s stores — Ron Johnson — is intimately involved.
Check out the video below, which features Johnson, the head of Apple’s retail. Not only is Johnson hosting the video about the massive new hospital, he’s seen pouring over plans and architectural models with the project’s main architect, Rafael Viñoly.
Johnson says: “They have to solve the problem of ‘how do you make what’s intimidating, welcoming?’ I think Apple’s been able to do that through a series of great products, from computers to iPods to phones now. I don’t think it’s been done well in the healthcare field. And that’s the opportunity of the New Stanford Hospital.”
Johnson is credited with the runaway success of Apple’s stores, which pioneered innovations like the Genius Bar and community events to draw customers in.
It looks as though Johnson is very much involved in the facilty, which Stanford Hospital CEO Amir Dan Rubin says “has the ability to change the face of health care.”
See for yourself:
And here’s a cool flythrough of the proposed facility.
Via AppleInsider.
