Mission
Healing Spaces North East CIC transforms hospital environments into welcoming, supportive spaces that enhance well-being. Founded in 2022, we bring together expertise in artistic design, technology, and project management to create human-centred healthcare environments.
Our team collaborates with patient support groups, clinical staff, and creative professionals to ensure that lived experiences shape our designs. By demonstrating the measurable benefits of artist-led healthcare design on patient recovery, staff retention, and visitor well-being, we advocate for investment in healing spaces as a strategic, impactful approach to improving healthcare environments.
Healing Spaces North East CIC transforms hospital environments into welcoming, supportive spaces that enhance well-being. Founded in 2022, we bring together expertise in artistic design, technology, and project management to create human-centred healthcare environments.
Our team collaborates with patient support groups, clinical staff, and creative professionals to ensure that lived experiences shape our designs. By demonstrating the measurable benefits of artist-led healthcare design on patient recovery, staff retention, and visitor well-being, we advocate for investment in healing spaces as a strategic, impactful approach to improving healthcare environments.
Approach
Healing Spaces takes an evidence-based, community-led approach to transforming hospital environments. By engaging directly with patients, staff, and visitors, we ensure that lived experiences shape the design process. Through meaningful consultation, we empower communities to articulate their needs and aspirations, fostering a sense of ownership over the spaces they use.
Since our establishment in 2022, we have contributed to several pilot projects, demonstrating how creative, human-centred design can enhance well-being in clinical settings. Our work continues to evolve, guided by research, collaboration, and a commitment to improving healthcare environments through thoughtful, inclusive design.
Projects
Organ Donor Sculpture
Working with the organ donor team at James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, the idea for this special garden evolved. With the aim of creating a beautiful, contemplative space, for family members to spend time and remember their loved ones, the design incorporates a new planting plan, seating areas and a sculpture celebrating the generous ‘gift of life’ that organ donation represents.
Critical Care Garden
The Critical Care garden, which was made possible thanks to fundraising by staff, Our Hospitals Charity and the local community, offers patients a private, tranquil space to spend precious time with their loved ones away from the clinical environment. When not used by patients, the garden can be accessed by critical care staff, offering a restful place for them to take some time out.
Garden Screens - St Oswalds Hospice
Viewed from patients’ bedrooms and the family room of the hospice, this series of five screens create a fascinating focal point, projecting a shifting play of shadow, light and colour onto the surroundings. The laser cut corten steel has a warm, rich texture and colour-changing dichroic panels shift in hue depending upon the angle of light. Creeping thyme plants complement the artwork.
Garden Gates - St Oswalds Hospice
Designed for the children’s unit of St Oswald’s Hospice in Newcastle upon Tyne, these gates form the entrance to the children’s garden. Working with River Forge blacksmiths, the gates were fabricated in mild steel and feature a stunning tree design in dichroic glass, which spans across the two gates. A magical, ever-changing, play of light and colour is experienced by the children and, on sunny days, the tree design projects onto the surroundings.
Latest
Evaluation of the Critical Care Garden
An evaluation of the garden for critical care at James Cook University Hospital has been carried out by Dr Sheila Quaid of Sunderland University. The report is now available to read and it is clear from this work that the garden is making a real difference to patients, visitors and staff. The positive benefits of this unique space are clearly demonstrated in the report which you can now access here.
Inspiring Change: Healing Spaces Supports Courtyard Garden at Queen Elizabeth Hospital
The Healing Spaces team was invited to consult with staff at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead, as they developed a courtyard garden for critical care patients. Inspired by our approach, our consultation played a role in shaping their vision. QE staff visited our sensory garden at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough and were keen to adopt elements of our design approach. We are delighted that the QE garden is now open providing a calming, restorative space for patients, visitors and staff.
Connect
If you would like to find out more about Healing Spaces, we would love to hear from you. Please complete the contact form and we will get back to you