Personalisation – Beyond Walls

Introducing: Kate Ive

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So inspired by staff, archives, histories, stories, identities, technology and learning about different professions, artist Kate Ive found it difficult to settle on only a few ideas to pursue. With 19 separate pieces in development, Kate is producing a suite of work that will be displayed throughout the new building to act as wayfinding and pieces of re-imagined histories linked directly to units. Kate is using a variety of materials in her work: copper plated plant roots will go to form a torso like form of arteries and veins; images of bandaging techniques from old nursing manuals and Golgi apparatus are re-created in ceramic; an old fashioned radiology vest is being re-designed with pliable lead just to name a few.

After spending time with staff, Kate came to understand that hospital environments can feel overwhelming with the amount of information being displayed. ‘One of the things that has fed into my work is staff saying hospitals are so full of things, there is stuff everywhere. That when you work there you quickly stop seeing things and they just become the fabric of the building as opposed to things to enjoy and look at. I’m really aware staff will be there long hours, some patients and families are there long term and that’s why in all of the works I have tried to incorporate something that requires you look a bit harder or try to engage with it in a different way.’

An example of historic illustrations of hand bandaging instructions (above) and Kate’s early porcelain work re-creating the bandage knots. Eventually the porcelain pieces will be mounted into a cabinet and labelled in an old style as seen in the illustration.

Below Kate is holding an image of the Golgi apparatus which inspired her to create the forms in porcelain enhancing them using the mocha diffusion technique to mimic the Golgi staining technique used to visualise nervous tissue under microscope.

Linking histories

A number of projects on the ATD programme have a focus on linking the histories of the existing hospitals to the new building. Here we hightlight two of these projects, Old to New and Lightboxes.

Old to New

The focus of this project is to share the identity, history, and stories of the three institutions as they undergo a transition from their original sites to the new building. A series of display cases will be installed throughout the building to showcase new pieces that re-imagine the past. Researcher Emma Dunmore explored the archival and historical material available and Kate Ive has evolved the project into a series of sculptural artworks which reinterpret the histories and stories of the hospitals. Cabinet maker Joachim King is making the frames into which the artwork will be inserted, allowing for exploration of histories in bite size chunks.

Image from Lothian Health Services Archive of a radiologist in heavy lead suit.

Copy of an image from Lothian Health Services Archive of William Law, pioneering radiographer in his x-ray suit.

Kate Ive is working with lead to re-imagine x-ray suits from previous times.

Lightboxes

New artworks are being created by Emma Varley in response to an original stained glass piece at the current RHSC. The new work will be displayed in the form of lightboxes and will keep a strong link to the original work, though reinterpreted. The new work will be tailored to the design of the new hospital. The existing nine panel piece is

a stained glass window which is vibrant, detailed and contains areas of text. It has a rich history attached to it and contains a narrative both of the history of the RHSC and of fairy tale characters. Through drop in workshops at RHSC, patients, families and staff created projected light collages using acetate, translucent papers and found objects which will influence the final lightbox pieces.

Images of light collage creations from drop in workshops at RHSC.

Personalisation for interiors

Personalisation is a core element of all of the projects in the ATD programme. All the artists working on the programme have a focus on creating safe non-clinical environments and enhancing them with colours and patterns to create an an environment that is patient focused. Enagement and participation with patients, staff and families is an important step in creating these patient centered environments.

Created by children and young people from CAMHS, the patterns below were made during printmaking workshops hosted by National Museums Scotland (NMS) and led by artists Sophie and Katie Orton. Taking inspiration from objects in the NMS collection, a selection of these patterns will be seen in the new unit for CAMHS.

Extensive engagement and involvement activity carried out by Projects Office with CAMHS patients and families to inform the interior design of the new building means the look and feel of the new unit will be person centered and reflective of those who use the space. When asked during engagement sessions, ‘What does good mental health feel like?’ most people responded, ‘The seaside’.

Excerpt from wall graphics for circulation areas in CAMHS

Engagement with the general public and with patients, staff and families in hospital has helped illustrators, interior designers and graphic designers embark on a large scale wall graphics project. The new hospital will feature new wall graphics throughout, all of which have been inspired by the stories and imaginations of people in Edinburgh.

Artists Rachel Duckhouse, David Galletley, Alison Unsworth and Natasha Russell are taking the public’s contributions and turning them into wall graphics you will see throughout the entire hospital. Lead artist Alison Unsworth creates detailed drawings about a variety of things including landscape, built environments and wildlife. Rachel Duckhouse creates abstract, geometric artwork with colour, line and form using hand drawing and printmaking methods. David Galletly creates monotone and coloured line drawings with a graphic and cartoon-like style and his varied subject matter includes buildings, cityscapes, trees and humorous characters. Natasha Russell creates designs using printmaking, painting and drawing methods and her work is focused on landscapes with narrative details.

Extensive staff consultation and involvement of staff at DCN to inform the design of new waiting areas has led to the commissioning of new medical illustration posters which will be created by Annie Campbell. Acting on feedback that complicated medical treatments and processes can be difficult to communicate, the new posters will help staff communicate with patients and families in a visual way.

In general, communicating and receiving information in better ways has emerged as a priority for both staff and patients. As a result of this feedback, DCN waiting rooms will feature ‘information walls’ on which posters and leaflets can be displayed in ways that are less cluttered and more accessible than in existing waiting rooms.

Visualisation of one of the proposed DCN waiting areas. Image by Dress for the Weather

From beautiful wall patterns creating comfortable and non-clinical environments to posters communicating complicated information, new interiors have been influenced the people who will use them. Work will continue over the coming weeks to finalise designs in the run up to installations over autumn and winter. Keep up with developments as they unfold on Twitter, Instagram or via our regular email newsletter.

Patient distraction and personalisation

Themes running through the entire ATD programme include patient distraction and personalisation in support of clinical provision. The programme aims to create a non-clinical, safe and therapeutic environment with areas of enhancement through the inclusion of integrated areas of colour, pattern, furniture within communal spaces to provide a patient focussed environment.

RHSC and DCN interview rooms, sitting rooms and drop in centre designed by Dress for the Weather show case our approach. In the RHSC drop in centre and waiting rooms, there will be a focus around an ‘anchor table.’ The idea for anchor tables came following engagement with staff, patients and families who said that sometimes, upsetting discussions happen in these spaces and it can feel awkward or unsure how to act. The anchor table, positioned in the middle of a room, acts as a center point and a place to focus a gaze and to help make difficult situations more navigable.

DCN waiting rooms will incorporate distraction walls and upgraded colour schemes. New artwork will include posters illustrating different medical procedures in an effort to help staff communicate what they do in a visual way. Upgraded furniture, designed with input from staff and patients, will suit a spectrum of body types, conditions and lengths of stay and will users to feel comfortable and secure.

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Example of Hospital Impressions, hand-pressed impressions in fine porcelain. Photo by Hans Clausen

Where it Hurts + Where it Heals: Hans K Clausen and Jeremy Weller

Two artist residencies which take as their starting points the relationships and experiences of hospital staff and patients and the impact and dynamics of hospital communities moving and evolving. A visual artist and a writer/director are working organically and relationally across four hospital sites identifying and initiating opportunities for creative dialogue to generate collaborative artistic and cultural projects.

Hans K Clausen: “As a visual artist I am drawn to the artefacts and aesthetics that dominate hospital environments, from the ‘tools of the trades’ of health care to the visual noise of public information and the material palette of the institution. I’m also interested in the connections between people and place, the ways in which everyone leaves their mark, the unseen traces of human interactions and the importance and uniqueness of individuality amidst a culture that operates on averages, generalities and commonalities. This curiosity has so far led to Hospital Impressions; an art action which will collect hand-pressed impressions in fine porcelain from patients, staff and visitors across hospital sites capturing personal ‘relics of a moment’.”

Example of Hospital Impressions, hand-pressed impressions in fine porcelain. Photo by Hans K Clausen

Jeremy Weller: “As a writer and a film and theatre director I have been meeting with staff and patients, listening to their stories and looking for the meeting points between the NHS and the people who want its help. What is this story? What are their stories? The whole world coming through the door. Every story, every emotion, dramatic, compassionate, a very human story of people trying to help…and those seeking help. I hope to get beneath the surface of the relationships and dynamics that exist between people, communities and cultures and build something dramatic and authentic from these experiences.”

Extract from Jeremy Weller’s notebook. Photo by Hans K Clausen

Introducing: Emily Hogarth

Introducing: Emily Hogarth. Photo by Chris Scott

Emily Hogarth is currently producing some fantastic paper cut out graphics in collaboration with Warren Design to enhance the waiting and play areas in the new RHSC. We visited her studio to watch her at work and are excited to see the final graphics and furniture installed in the new hospital.

Inside look into Emily Hogarth’s studio. Photo by Chris Scott

Emily Hogarth at work in her studio. Photo by Chris Scott

Warren Design meet with Play Specialists

Play specialists reviewing proposals for activity stations by Warren Design. Photo by Chris Scott.

Warren Design recently met with NHS Lothian play specialists to talk about their toy and game proposals for the play rooms and waiting areas in the new RHSC. NHS Lothian staff offer really valuable insight for design teams into what toys and games work within the hospital context and what things might not be as durable or popular with different age groups. Current proposals include giant fish shaped floor cushions and activity stations with a large selection of interactive features.

William Warren from Warren Design presenting proposals for the new RHSC play rooms. Photo by Chris Scott.

Play specialist reviewing design proposals by Warren Design. Photo by Chris Scott.

NHSL play specialist listening to a presentation of proposals by William Warren, Warren Design. Photo by Chris Scott.

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