Press Roundup - Royal London Hospital play space
In 2013, Barts Health NHS Trust launched an innovative initiative at the Royal London Hospital to improve patient experience through the arts. Vital Arts, the Trust's arts organisation, transformed the hospital's rooftop into a dynamic and colorful play space designed by award-winning architecture firm Cottrell and Vermeulen. The design was inspired by east London streetscapes, providing young patients a unique outdoor environment to enjoy, even in the heart of the city. The aim was to enhance the emotional wellbeing of children during their hospital stay, by encouraging play and interaction with the outdoor space.
Here’s a summary of the press coverage for the project:
Shortlisted for FX Design Awards
We were pleased to be shortlisted for the Public Sector Category at the FX Design Award.
BBC
The Guardian
Design Week
Creative Bloq
Creative Review Annual 2014 – Best in Book
We are extremely pleased to have been awarded the accolade of ‘Best in Book’ in 2014’s Creative Review Annual for our commission of The Ann Riches Healing Space, designed by architects Cottrell & Vermeulen and designer Morag Myerscough at The Royal London Children’s Hospital. The Creative Review Annual showcases outstanding work in design and visual culture over the past 12 months selected by an expert panel of judges within the field, ‘Best in Book’ is awarded to specific projects to be of special merit.
Design Week Awards 2014
Winner: Wooden Tops For Vital Arts – Barts Health NHS Trust, By Morag Myerscough
On the seventh-floor children’s ward at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, Vital Arts has transformed the atrium into ‘a space where imagination can run wild’. The playspace takes the form of an oversized living room with larger-than-life pieces of furniture. The pieces, designed by Morag Myerscough, include colourful giant wooden top seating and soft building blocks.
The judges said: ‘It’s refreshing to see healthcare leaders and designers in such a serious sector prioritising play, imagination and user interaction in an otherwise stressful and high-pressured environment.’
