Graphic Panel, Field Hospitals

Emergency hospitals and clinics are erected during wars, disasters, and epidemics. Since the 19th century, field hospitals have been prefabricated off-site or made with cheap, readily available materials. Built for temporary use, these rough facilities often stay in use well past their intended lifespans.

In spring 2020, emergency hospitals were built in New York City in convention centers, stadiums, and parks. Created at enormous speed and great expense, many of these field hospitals were short-lived and underutilized. Throughout the pandemic, hospitals hit by COVID-19 surges have expanded their own facilities with tents built in parking lots.

At key points in history, innovative field hospitals have been designed to test new concepts or respond to new diseases. Although most COVID-19 field hospitals have relied on standard disaster-relief designs, experimental concepts were also prototyped during the pandemic.

Temporary structures and mobile units for COVID-19 testing and vaccination were successful in many cities, bringing services to schools, parks, and churches in neighborhoods that lacked access to health care.

This object was previously on display as a part of the exhibition Design and Healing: Creative Responses to Epidemics.