Our art advisors at KBAA bring more than 30 years of experience applying research-informed principles to curate or commission artwork tailored to unique spaces. We’re proud to be known for collaborating closely with healthcare professionals across the country to support patient and staff well-being, encourage healing, and help reduce stress through thoughtful art programming. One way we support this work is through Evidence-Based Design Accreditation and Certification (EDAC) for many of our art advisors.
What Is an EDAC Certification?
The Center for Health Design’s internationally recognized EDAC program awards credentials to individuals who demonstrate an understanding of how to apply evidence-based processes to the design and construction of settings that contribute to health, safety, and well-being, including measuring and reporting outcomes. From art advisors to architects, designers, healthcare executives, providers, and researchers, this methodology benefits anyone developing solutions rooted in research.
To earn EDAC certification, candidates study the foundational concepts of evidence-based design along with its iterative, research-driven process. Once a deep understanding is established, applicants complete a rigorous exam that presents a wide range of scenarios across healthcare environments, requiring test-takers to apply EDAC principles and determine the most informed course of action.
What EDAC Concepts Apply to KBAA Projects?
The beauty of evidence-based design is that when we continually learn from research and past projects, we are also able to push beyond what is traditionally considered “healthcare-appropriate art.”
A strong example of this is our work with Kaiser Permanente at the Watts Counseling and Learning Center. Here, we featured colors and styles that may feel unexpected in healing environments, including bright reds and oranges, abstract compositions, and energetic visual language.
In many healthcare settings, these elements could feel overstimulating. However, through research, community partnership, and conversations with local ambassadors, we curated artwork that reflected the vibrant spirit of the Watts community and resonated with the energy and playfulness of the youth visiting the center.
“As a partner within the architecture and design industry, we are committed to continually referencing credible research alongside insights gained from past projects to inform and elevate future work. By doing so, we are confident that our art installations are designed to meaningfully support those who experience them. In healthcare, it’s a bonus that those outcomes are related to mental and physical well-being.”
Julia Stenderup, EDAC-Certified Art Director
Exciting Results from Evidence-Based Art Programs
Many of KBAA’s consultants and partner artists have shared personal stories about the impact individual artworks have had within healthcare environments. From a magical mural that sparks a child’s imagination and eases fear, to a large-scale sculptural installation that offers a calming visual refuge for families in waiting areas, art has the power to transform emotions during moments of heightened stress.
These decisions are never just aesthetic; they are strategic, responsive, and deeply tied to how people interact with the environment. Art format and placement are thoughtfully tailored to the function and flow of each space.”
Allison Barry, President
By focusing on locally relevant nature and interpreting it in ways that speak directly to each audience, we’re able to present biophilic patterns, colors, and content that feel authentic rather than expected. For example, in a children’s waiting room at Kaiser Permanente Playa Vista Medical Offices, we featured playful egrets and herons found locally. Our in-house graphic artists designed polygonal forms with whimsical flight patterns that children could trace with their fingers as they followed the artwork across the wall.
See more examples of our EDAC-certified work in this year’s spring issue of ELEVATE by KBAA. We highlight some of our favorite nature-inspired art moments, and do a deep dive within our work for Keck Medicine of USC’s new medical office building in Pasadena.
