NYC Public Health Vending Machine

Client: New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

My role: Service design, print design

New York City public health vending machine for harm reduction supplies

Brief: Conceptualize and design artwork to be displayed on the outside of the first ever public health vending machines throughout NYC. Artwork should support the goals of this public health initiative, which include:

  • increasing low barrier 24/7 access to naloxone, other harm reduction supplies, and wellness supplies in a culturally and linguistically competent manner

  • reducing stigma related to drug abuse and people who use drugs

  • engaging communities disproportionately affected by overdose

Challenge: Create a design which immediately communicates the purpose and contents of the vending machine to the target population, without attracting negative community attention to the target population or the vending machine.

Solution: After interviewing community groups servicing the target population, it became apparent that not just multiple language barriers but literacy itself was an issue. I also learned that the distinctive naloxone dispenser and its blue bag container had high visual recognition among the target population. These two insights drove the creation of an entirely visual icon system independent of language for the machine design.

Inspired by the clear way-finding instructions of the NYC subway system, icons were designed in a flat, neutral style and emphasized the naloxone dispenser and container, as well as fentanyl test strips. To reduce stigma associated with people who use drugs, icons representing medical, health, and hygiene supplies were also included.

Inspired by NYC large-scale street art, I enlarged the icons to cover the entirety of the machine, allowing the mural-like information itself to become the design. To avoid drawing undue community attention to the machines, the boldness of the large icons was tempered by appearing in a lighter shade of blue than the background, so that the design became visible yet discrete, almost disappearing into wallpaper.

Result: Well-received by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene as well as community groups servicing the target population, ultimate results will be seen once these machines are deployed on NYC streets in January 2023.

Programs: Illustrator