The Chemotherapy Treatment Room. During my last visit to site on 13th March 2017 – I was really interested to see how the creative concept for the project had been applied in the Chemotherapy Treatment Room – a state of the art, 6 chair Chemotherapy Suite.
The artwork was to be applied to the adjustable privacy screens adjacent to each chair. The work forms a continuous landscape, divided into 6 sections, which will be continually re-arranged to present new combinations as the screens are used throughout the day.
These screens were manufactured and installed by Kwickscreen.
The Christie Hospital has also launched a 3 day a week chemotherapy service at the new £1.8m Macmillan Unit.
The Chemotherapy Treatment Room within the New Macmillan Unit at Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust will feature five retractable ‘pull-out’ privacy screens manufactured by Kwickscreen, onto which artwork can be digitally printed. The flexible material for printing is an opaque, but translucent (if that makes sense!) crisp white vinyl. We have proposed a series of artworks inspired by the theme originally drawn out in the main corridor artwork & also by the new planting and design of the adjacent external courtyard designed by Olivia Kirk Gardens. The large windows of the Treatment Room face directly into this newly refurbished and planted space.
It is unlikely that all the screens will be drawn out at the same time…what is more likely is that smaller sections of each screen may be visible at various times, creating an ever changing backdrop to the activity in the room.
We decided to keep the development and manufacture of the detailed site-specific artwork for the unit under wraps to allow for further consultation, production development and sampling etc. Since the last post 8 months ago now, things have really moved on!
Following design approvals and sign-off at the end of April 2016, we embarked on the detailed design work for production with VGLand other specialist contractors and suppliers.
We are collaborating with VGL on a broad range of digital designs, including a large scale polychrome bespoke Wallcovering to the Main Corridor and print-white Glazing Vinyls to the external glazing frames. VGL are further assisting us in the supply of digital production files for:
Retractable Privacy Screens for the Chemotherapy Treatment Room, being manufactured and supplied by Kwickscreen.
The following images show some of this process, including building works, sampling and sample site-installations, testing the ideas. Many thanks to Architects IBI Group and Main Contractors John Turner
One that got away ! …Early drafts for undeveloped SuperGraphic signage / railing detail.
Michael Hughes of IBI Group – our Project Architect, has however designed a brilliant new canopy entrance feature – not sure I can show that one just yet ! – but will get an image asap !
A large vocabulary of individual landscape inspired elements were developed for the project, using documentary photographs taken on my walk with Stewart & further drawings and studies made in the studio.
As per usual in my practice, some of this iconography is part of a common language of ideas which appear throughout my work – some are original to this project, some may find their way into the next project. Some have migrated from a previous project. This is my original ‘handwriting’, and may offer clues to the driving elements which fuel my approach to any work.
27th April 2016 – Tameside Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Ashton Under Lyne
On Wednesday this week I attended a meeting of the project Arts Group to present the research, creative concept & draft development of the artwork for the TMU – Tameside Macmillan Unit. The pdf can be viewed via this link:
“Chris’ designs were presented to patient and staff representatives yesterday and were very well received. People felt they were really true to the original concept and Stewart Ramsden, the patient representative who took Chris on the walk was especially pleased. He felt the layers of detail offered repeated rewards for patients needing to return to the centre again and again. He also liked the semi abstract nature of the work which allowed people to find their own interpretation whilst still being very evocative of familiar local places”. Bronwen Gwillim – Creative DirectorWillis Newson
Some of the images from the pdf and the meeting are posted below –
Stewart Ramsden is a member of the TMU Art Group as a Patient Representative. Stewart also happens to be the President of the Tameside Ramblers. He accompanied me on the 12 mile walk in Tameside, which has been the inspiration for this project. Bronwen Gwillim is Creative Director at Willis Newson and is leading on the Arts and Interior Strategy for the Trust.
TMU Art Group members left to right – Sarah Lowiss Haematology Cancer Specialist Nurse, Michael Hughes Project Architect IBI Group & Gareth Llewellyn Capital Projects Manager for the Trust –
The meeting also covered the proposals for colour, fabrics and finishes for the Interiors of the building, which is being delivered by Michael Hughes, IBI Group Project Architect. I am also consulting with Olivia Kirk of Olivia Kirk Gardens who is designing the external courtyard finishes and planting scheme. It is an interesting collaborative process – as I am responding to and being inspired by their proposals for colour, texture and materials, whilst my draft artwork is also influencing the colour field and aesthetic for the project.