Project Outline

The recently completed St. Michael's Hospice in Hereford is a charitable organisation that offers palliative care in an inpatients and outpatients capacity to the local community, county and beyond. We were appointed for the project based on our enthusiasm, passion for good design, local understanding of the area and ability to listen to the client and building users requirements, succeeding others who brought extensive experience of Hospice and Palliative Care design and delivery.

Brief Requirements

Working alongside a client group with a strong vision, it was soon established that the following were fundamental requirements to the success of this development;

• A welcoming new entrance zone, including café, retail, children’s areas and chapel.
• Creation of new inpatient wing providing 20 single en-suite bedrooms in five 4-bed social clusters, including provision for bariatric care.
• Sensitive treatment of bereavement suite (inc. mortuary).
• Expanded day hospice and inpatient facilities.
• A new range of Integrated Services, inc. quiet rooms, group meeting areas and therapy facilities.
• Improved staff rest/changing facilities and administrative accommodation.
• A dedicated educational facility to maximise potential of specialist in-house and external training and research in the field.

Rationale

We have brought a fresh approach, with all plans, concepts, spatial relationships and functionality being unique and bespoke to the hospice requirements; developed through in-depth research and care to get it right.

We worked closely with the client team, nursing and maintenance staff, patients and their family members and friends, to develop a key understanding of how the new facility would run most effectively. The project converts the existing 16-bed ward-orientated inpatient hospice into 20 single bedroom ensuite units grouped into 5 ‘clusters’ around shared social spaces.

The concept enables an optimum balance between interaction/activity and privacy/dignity (with individual control for each patient), whilst acknowledging the importance of discrete observation and convenience/practicalities for nursing staff. The inpatients unit offers assessment, symptom control, rehabilitation and terminal care. The current existing build is being renovated into a day hospice, where patients are referred to by palliative care professionals such as the Community Macmillan Nurses, GP’s or hospital consultants. Medical, social care, spiritual, complementary therapy, Lymphodema and psychology treatment and advice is available during these sessions and all have been accommodated within the re-design of the spaces.

Project Outcome

Alongside Churchman Landscape Architects, we have worked collaboratively with the hospice staff, patients and relatives, developing a revolutionary approach to hospice design. Compliant with Best Practice Healthcare Design Guidelines, the design successfully departs from the common clinical appearance to create a warm and homely atmosphere without compromising infection control.

On arrival at the main entrance area you are greeted with views out towards the beautiful landscape, developing an immediate connection between the internal and external spaces - a feature prominent throughout the building. A central focus of the inpatient wing is the multifunctional ‘street’ - a central double height circulation space, flooded by light from the continuous roof glazing. It offers a variety of spaces from discreet seating areas, break-out areas and conveniently positioned nurse stations. 5 semi-private, social ‘cluster' areas are arranged off this, intentionally acting as a transition space towards the 4 private bedrooms. Each ‘cluster’ offers a real communal feel, with patients and family members having the ability to congregate, eat, relax and socialise in a light, vibrant and bright atmosphere.

There is a flexible relationship between the individual en-suite bedrooms and cluster spaces. Patients feel a part of the clusters from their private rooms through their fully glazed bedroom doors. This connection can be easily controlled using the doors and interstitial blinds to offer peace, quiet and privacy when desired.

Outside, the landscape design inverts that of the building, with private gardens immediately fronting the bedroom. Progressively this turns to semi-private and more public gardens offering access to all within the hospice grounds. Rainwater is channeled through streams and rills to act as therapeutic water features, offering sound and visual animation, to help soothe and calm. Plants and hedgerows, native to Herefordshire, bloom and flower at differing times, keeping the landscape active all year round. In the distance, the landscape becomes wilder, offering a varied landscape with different trails and routes through the site for people to use.