Creating Healing SpaceCreating Healing Spaceillustrated by the new illustrated by the new

Glasgow Homoeopathic Hospital Glasgow Homoeopathic Hospital and Gardensand Gardens

““We wish to create a place of beauty We wish to create a place of beauty and healing” and healing”

Design Brief 1995Design Brief 1995

Macmon Architects Macmon Architects

Jane Kelly - Lead ArtistJane Kelly - Lead Artist

David Reilly - Project DirectorDavid Reilly - Project Director

“I can feel the healing environment the moment I walk in the door. I love the curves the colours the windows and the

garden especially”.Lizzie Farey, Artist

 

..the ..the consultation consultation beginsbegins

before the before the consultation..consultation..

you bring your you bring your hopes and hopes and fears as you fears as you walk towards walk towards the meeting…the meeting…

..how that ..how that place place is, ..and how is, ..and how that person that person who meets who meets you is… you is… all of it will all of it will make an make an impact…impact…

See I am a magician. I See I am a magician. I take ordinary objects and take ordinary objects and by combining them I by combining them I create mystery. If you create mystery. If you enter my colours you enter my colours you enter dream then return enter dream then return to the world refreshed.to the world refreshed.

Derek HyattDerek Hyatt

So what are we to do about our So what are we to do about our hospitals?hospitals?

Scientific evidence has now Scientific evidence has now established that the physical established that the physical

environment directly affects the environment directly affects the healing responses of human beingshealing responses of human beings

“I love this building to bits. The first time I came here I cried.”

Sandra Smith, Ward Sister

Psychoneuroimmunolgy Psychoneuroimmunolgy

It used to be easy. It used to be easy.

The mind and body were seen as separate. The mind and body were seen as separate.

We had head doctors and body doctors. We had head doctors and body doctors.

Then the flat earth became round. Then the flat earth became round.

Immune cells were found to have receptors for Immune cells were found to have receptors for neurotransmitters from our brain. neurotransmitters from our brain.

Our feelings and hopes affect our illness and Our feelings and hopes affect our illness and recovery. recovery.

““You get encouragement to be You get encouragement to be yourself here. I can’t think of yourself here. I can’t think of the words, it’s not like being the words, it’s not like being out of your body but there is out of your body but there is a sensation of looking down a sensation of looking down on yourself and beginning to on yourself and beginning to see what others are seeing.”see what others are seeing.”

PatientPatient

  

“Patients find the atmosphere soothing and relaxing - an ideal setting for people who have suffered physical and

emotional stress and pain...”Stephanie, Physiotherapy Dept

“The department is a pleasant place to be. Working here reduces my old feelings of my work being

entirely separated from the rest of my life.”Stephanie Wilson, Physiotherapy Dept

”The quality of light in the gym, and the fact that there is an entire wall of glass looking out into the garden means

that the view is seasonal, and, dispels the prospective gloom of a working day ahead!”

We were determined from the very beginning that the hospital would more be art, than have art

I mention from I mention from experience, as quite experience, as quite perceptible in perceptible in promoting recovery, promoting recovery, the being able to see the being able to see out of a window… the out of a window… the bright colours of bright colours of flowers..being able to flowers..being able to read in bed by the light read in bed by the light of a window… the of a window… the effects are on the mind effects are on the mind and no less so on the and no less so on the body.body.

Florence NightingaleFlorence Nightingale

Comparing the impact of the view from the hospital Comparing the impact of the view from the hospital window on recovery of two matched groups of post op window on recovery of two matched groups of post op

surgical patients. Indicators included reduction in surgical patients. Indicators included reduction in analgesics, fewer complaints, lower blood pressure, analgesics, fewer complaints, lower blood pressure,

fewer adverse observations by staff and earlier discharge fewer adverse observations by staff and earlier discharge in those in the room with a view of the landscaped in those in the room with a view of the landscaped

grounds compared to those with only a brick wall in grounds compared to those with only a brick wall in view.view.

Views through a window may influence recovery from surgery Views through a window may influence recovery from surgery

Ulrich R.Science 1984;224:420-421.Ulrich R.Science 1984;224:420-421.

We will still need to see, hear, smell, We will still need to see, hear, smell, taste and touch real things in order to taste and touch real things in order to

confirm their presence and make confirm their presence and make sense of our own existence…. within sense of our own existence…. within

the direct physical, the direct physical, humane humane experience of material reality. experience of material reality.

Jane Hamlyn 1995Jane Hamlyn 1995

“The garden gives you the chance to relax. I get lost in that garden, sucked into the

trees and the birds in the sky. Before I would see these

things but I didn’t connect to them – it is another world – I have learned to appreciate it, and it does something to you,

it’s amazing.” Patient

 

Sometimes patients even sit in the garden in the Sometimes patients even sit in the garden in the Scottish rainScottish rain

From a patient’s letterFrom a patient’s letter

Thank you so much for everything Thank you so much for everything you have created at the hospital. I you have created at the hospital. I wonder if you realise how important it wonder if you realise how important it is to those of us who depend upon its is to those of us who depend upon its environment to calm us, strengthen environment to calm us, strengthen us, and then send us out into the us, and then send us out into the world to cope for another while.world to cope for another while.

One evening, One evening, when I couldn’t when I couldn’t sleep I stepped sleep I stepped

out into the out into the garden and into garden and into

another world. another world. The paths, were The paths, were ribbons of earth ribbons of earth

captured captured moonlight.moonlight.

An in-patient’s experience…An in-patient’s experience…

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