Mission
Healing Spaces North East Community Interest Company exists to improve internal and external hospital spaces through innovative and evidence-based design. Delivering life changing experiences, our work positively changes environments for patients, visitors and staff with the aim of hastening recovery and improving general well-being.
Healing Spaces was established in 2022 by artist and designer, Laura Johnston. You can see more about Laura’s work here.
Healing Spaces North East Community Interest Company exists to improve internal and external hospital spaces through innovative and evidence-based design. Delivering life changing experiences, our work positively changes environments for patients, visitors and staff with the aim of hastening recovery and improving general well-being.
Healing Spaces was established in 2022 by artist and designer, Laura Johnston. You can see more about Laura’s work here.
Approach
Healing Spaces uses an evidence-based approach to positively transforming our experience of hospital spaces. Through a process of consultation, the community benefits from the opportunity to be involved in the design process. Giving a voice to the community enables them to identify and express their needs and their hopes for how such spaces could be improved.
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.
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