OUR PROJECTS

Stanley Primary Care Centre - The Trusts perspective

Anne Edwards - Building Commissioning Manager, NHS County Durham

Stanley Primary Care Centre was developed to provide a wider range of local services to the population of Derwentside in premises that are appropriate for the provision of primary care services in the 21st century. The facility provides a replacement for the former health centre in Stanley which was no longer fit for purpose.

The arts development work was very important to the scheme and was required to provide intuitive wayfinding, a strong sense of identity, be welcoming and reassuring, create inspiring and high quality memorable places whilst also enhancing the architectural character of the building.

A number of people from a variety of backgrounds were involved in the interview process to choose the artist for the scheme.  These people were also involved in the selection of the actual art works.  This included a finance representative, construction company representative, an external art consultant advisor, project team members and a public stakeholder group representative.

Once appointed to the scheme, the chosen artist (Unusual Partnership) carried out a number of community projects within the Stanley area.  This included a photography session with a local junior school (the outcome of which is now beautifully displayed within the Community Dental Service department).  A competition was also held with the local schools to design bird boxes for the courtyard areas of the new primary care centre.  This was a huge success and the winners of the competition (5 in total) had their designs brought to life and are now permanently displayed in the courtyards.

There are many amazing and beautiful aspects to the art works for Stanley Primary Care Centre:  the children’s courtyard with it’s larger than life sculptures and sound effects which are activated by stepping on various sections of the rubber crumb flooring; the kinetic glazing to the children’s reception with bubbles disappearing as the door opens and re-appearing as the door closes; the brass leaf and wallpaper designs inlaid into the slate tiling of the main atrium which provide for subtle wayfinding for users.

Users of the building have admired the artwork extensively and it captures peoples’ minds to look for more each time they visit the centre.  The art work assists in creating a positive and relaxed environment for users and visitors within the healthcare setting and a more pleasant environment for the staff to work in.

Project details