DiMH 2021 AWARDS Low Cost – High Impact Award
IKON Architects designed this striking nature-inspired ward courtyard artwork at Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust’s Airedale Centre for Mental Health in Keighley, West Yorkshire.
Dementia unit highly commended A ‘Highly Commended’ went to The Whittle Hall Activities Evaluation Study Team at the Whittle Hall Luxury Care Residence in Great Sankey, Warrington. The entry centered around a study by a dedicated staff team in the ‘dementia plus unit’ at the L&M Healthcare facility to see if they could improve the health and wellbeing of residents living with complex and challenging behaviour in advanced dementia.
Timing of an activity in conjunction with eating It examined the timing of an activity in conjunction with eating. The entry said: “The results were marvellous – significant improvements in weight gain, socialisation, engagement, and motor skills were observed, and learnings have also impacted on how eating areas on the ‘dementia plus’ units will be designed going forward.” Changes in where, when, and how, residents are fed are currently being planned to roll out throughout Whittle Hall, and, subsequently, other L&M Healthcare homes. A documentary film captured these moments ‘as they happened’, and a formal report of the findings was written, while the study was presented to the local NHS and CCG, receiving considerable praise. Bradford University is now interested in working with the team to develop a full research study.
Low Cost – High Impact
The final 2021 DiMH Award presented, for a ‘Low Cost – High Impact’ project, went to IKON Architects, for visually striking nature- inspired ward courtyard artwork at Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust’s Airedale Centre for Mental Health on the Airedale General Hospital site in Keighley, West Yorkshire. The entrants said: “It is well evidenced that nature improves
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wellbeing, reduces stress, and promotes calmness in hospitals, so consider a patient’s journey where the only view available is a brick wall. How can this be improved to an aesthetically healing environment? That is the challenge we set ourselves when asked to lightly and cost- effectively renew the acute male and female ward internal courtyards at the Airedale Centre for Mental Health due to contraband being hidden in the existing bushes. “The stark and unwelcoming existing courtyards serving the Heather and Fern Wards lacked a much-needed sense of calm, so when we were asked to remove the bushes, we knew it would be detrimental to the patient environment. We therefore suggested using the brickwork as blank canvases for artwork. Creative thinking was essential when ligature, security, and vandalism, are real design considerations, so – working closely with a supplier – we found a suitable medium that took advantage of the existing building curves, was suitable for external conditions, and acceptable to all client representatives.”
Sample trials and client engagement ‘After many sample trials and much client engagement’, heat-adhered vinyl sections were installed to transform the brickwork into three-dimensional colonnades. IKON Architects said: “The mundane and monotonous was broken with views of peaceful rolling hills, flowing rivers, foliage, and bright colours, allowing minds to wander, and offering an escape from the physical hospital constraints. The art installation has passively, but successfully, injected the whole unit with a bright sense of calm and tranquillity, supporting patient health and healing by challenging the boundaries of an inpatient mental health facility. The artwork successfully surpasses the original client brief, with minimal cost
and service disruption, using innovative thinking alongside client engagement.” The award was accepted on behalf of IKON Architects by the DiMHN’s Jenny Gill.
‘Flipping the conventional approach on its head’ The IAD Company was Highly Commended for “flipping the conventional ‘portacabin’ approach to modular classrooms on its head” – with the design and installation of six ‘ground-breaking’ classroom pods at an educational facility for children with complex needs associated with autism, Orbis Education & Care’s Ty Bronllys in Ty Mynydd, Brecon, in Powys, South Wales. The entrants said: “Conceptualised in response to a need for expandable structures capable of accommodating the ever-increasing need for specialist educational provision, the pods’ honeycomb grid layout provides a purpose-built, cost-effective, quick-to- build, and environmentally considerate, solution. Scaled down to be in proportion with the human body, the six-sided structures have shallow angled corners to increase the feeling of security and comfort for the pupils within.” Heavily influenced by biophilic design, each pod is open to nature on two sides, ‘with huge windows giving breath-taking views’ out over the Brecon Beacons. Corridors have been done away with to further the connection to nature. Designed to be both durable and extremely well insulated, IAD says the pods ‘have the potential to go even further’, reaching Passivhaus efficiency through the use of SIPs panels, green/living roofs, and mechanical ventilation.
This concluded the awards ceremony. Andy Powell congratulated the winners, and thanked the evening’s sponsors, all the entrants, and the audience. All the winners then returned to the stage for further photographs.
n OCTOBER 2021 | THE NETWORK
©Penoyre & Prasad
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