‘Land, Water, Sky’
Click to View Art Stories_Dyson Cancer Centre at the RUH
The Dyson Cancer Centre, RUH Bath is an outstanding world class innovation, which will deliver the highest quality cancer care to patients.
Bee Eater mural by Mark Sands, Photography by William Beck
The DCC opened on the 22nd of April 2024 and serves a population of 500,000 residents across three counties.
The new DCC’s interior design and artistic concept was based around a Land, Water and Sky theme, our aim was to bring ‘the outside in’ to create an uplifting and sensory environment, in harmony with the design of the building and it’s interior by Arcadis Architects. The natural colour palette not only creates a harmonious journey between the departments but also draws on Sense Sensitive Design, where a space is specifically tailored to the emotional needs of patients and their families during what will likely be a difficult time.
It is well documented that biophilia (our innate connection with nature and other life forms) plays a key role in enhancing wellbeing. By introducing natural themes through a curated palette of colours, tone and textures and pairing this with the comprehensive Art Strategy, we aimed to create spaces that silently support wellbeing and promote positive health outcomes.
This theme provided a rich representation of nature throughout the building with subtle, elegant imagery, graphics and sculpture.
Reception desk: Phlomis by Kate Bond, Photography by William Beck
The Artwork
In the beautiful airy space of the main entrance’s Atrium is a delicate six-meter-high mural painted on canvas using a technique called chinoiserie, titled ‘Bee Eaters in Olive Trees’ by Mark Sands.
The Ambient Room’s audio/visual film: ‘Sensing Woodland, dusk till dawn’, by Chrystel Lebas is an immersive experience that will bring the patient/family/carer closer to the natural phenomena of a Bluebell Wood, whilst allowing time to detach away from the day-to-day clinical environment. Research shows that six minutes of bird song reduces blood pressure!
The Reception Desk artwork design by Kate Bond is partially lit and incorporates her overall theme of the planned Green Heart Garden, which will be incorporated as part of the Centre, post demolition of the outdated oncology buildings.
The Macmillan Wellbeing Hub’s 13 hand painted murals by Natasha Clutterbuck, on the theme ‘Pollinators and the Forest Garden’, covers three floors of the building, including patient support and advice rooms.
Opposite Bee Eaters hangs a painting ‘Bulrushes’ by Deidre Dyson, donated by the artist.
Kate Bond’s key commission for the Medlock Chemotherapy Day Unit, based on the planned Green Heart Garden, is printed directly onto clinical wall cladding, providing a rich variety of imagery for the patient to view during treatment.
There are two internal courtyards, which also act as light wells. On the ground floor, Bruce Munro’s ‘Time and Again’ light sculpture is inspired partly by the lily ponds at Chatsworth House, on the 1st floor patients have the advantage to see the sculpture below, which is breath-taking.
On the Inpatient Ward, 1st Floor, there is a courtyard garden for patients and their families. An RUHX donor commissioned ‘Bronze Swifts’ by Hamish Mackie, which sits on a 150-million-year-old bath stone plinth, donated by Limpley Stoke Mine, near Bath.
In Radiotherapy’s Waiting Room Amy Shelton exquisitely details plants and specimens gathered from the beautiful garden at Hauser & Wirth Gallery’s in Bruton, dried and pressed to form the incredible Botanica 2# lightbox.
Clinical Imaging commissions explore vital plant species at threat from extinction using various imaging techniques in their work.
Click to view more images and information on all the stunning artwork on the RUHX website
We have included two temporary exhibition space in the Dyson Cancer Centre, ‘The North Gallery’ and the Bath Photographic Society Gallery, which are based on our exhibitions model throughout the RUH, providing opportunities for local artists and photographers to show and potentially sell their work.
A Bath Spa University graphics student, Ella Smith designed an Arts Map and accompanying booklet ’Art Stories’ which you can view at the top of this web page. This will act as an aid for patients and their loved ones to locate artworks around the Centre and learn about the art commissions.
All Photography by William Beck