A commission for Vital Arts to provide a permanent solution to create privacy in the new wing of St Bartholomew’s Hospital (Barts), London.
The rooms are overlooked from across a narrow alley by the offices of the Bank of America. Our aim was to create a permanent treatment of the windows that would provide privacy and at the same time a level of transparency to still enjoy a view from the inside. The facade is 108 metres long and 8 storeys high. 300 windows had to be treated, including 240 windows of wards.
The pattern is a mix of 24 different herbs and plants with medicinal qualities: from Arnica to Rosemary and Dandelion to Lavender.
I set out to create a pattern for the windows that would make you feel good about being in the rooms. The herbs add a botanical, floral and healing quality to the space.
Vital Arts is the arts organisation for Barts Health NHS Trust, East London, who commission art to improve the hospital environment for patients.
