NHS Orkney new Hospital and Healthcare Facility – The Balfour

Artwork Commission Background NHS Orkney serves a population of approximately 21,000 dispersed across 17 inhabited Islands, the largest of which is the Mainland of Orkney. Kirkwall, with a population of about 7,500 people is the administrative centre. The smaller town of Stromness is situated in the West of the Mainland. To the East of the Mainland are the islands of South Ronaldsay and Burray, connected to the Mainland by the Churchill Barriers. The inhabited remote and north isles are accessible by boat and plane and vary in population from 1 person to circa 600. Orkney has a rich architectural and cultural heritage including the 12th Century St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall and the Neolithic village of Skara Brae. It plays host to the annual St Magnus International Festival and a range of other cultural events featuring live music theatre and exhibitions covering a variety of mediums. NHS Orkney’s vision is to “offer everyone in Orkney access to an NHS that helps them to keep well and provides them with high quality care when it is needed whilst employing a skilled and committed local workforce who are proud to work for NHS Orkney”.

The Balfour NHS Orkney’s new £64m hospital and healthcare facility is currently under construction on the southern outskirts of Kirkwall. The two storey hospital and healthcare facility will replace the existing Balfour Hospital and accommodate a range of emergency, outpatient, day case and inpatient services supported by high dependency, diagnostic and theatre facilities. There will be 49 inpatient beds. In addition, the Skerryvore and Heilendi GP practices and NHS Orkney’s dental practice will be located within the facility. The building will also house the Scottish Ambulance Service and provide a base for NHS 24. The building will have inviting internal and external spaces for the use and enjoyment of patients, visitors and staff and will include multi-functional conference rooms, seating areas, a therapy garden, restaurant, shop, multi-faith area and children’s play area. Due to the buildings scale, the challenge was to split a relatively large building down into separate areas or districts, with separate identities, but unified as part of the ‘town’ plan. An interrelated series of ‘streets’ and spaces are situated along patterns of established movement, arranged around a single central hub. From the public space, wayfinding is easy and intuitive, and the space is visually connected with external courtyards to further remove the traditional institutional associations. There will also be 320 car parking spaces on the site, which includes 10 electric car charging points, accessible parking and cycle shelters. Further information on the setting and design of the new facility can be found at the following link: https://www.ohb.scot.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/Design%20Solution%20Summary.pdf

The floor area of the new building is 16,248.sq meters. The building is due to be handed over to NHS Orkney in Spring 2019. Thereafter there will be an approximately 12 week period during which the building will be equipped, stocked and clinically cleaned and staff will undertake familiarisation and training. This will also be the period when NHS Orkney will have the opportunity to install art works from its existing assets and any newly commissioned work.

Overall aims of the Balfour Art Strategy NHS Orkney is progressing the development and implementation of an Arts Strategy for the Balfour in Kirkwall and is working in partnership with Orkney Islands Council and the Scottish charity Art in Healthcare. The Strategy is based on the following three main concepts

• Creating high-quality art for the new hospital and healthcare facility that support the wider design, build and wayfinding strategy; • Creating meaningful and memorable experiences for patients, staff and the wider healthcare community; • Creating opportunities for artists to develop and present art including work developed through a process of involvement and collaboration. Commission requirements This commission is designed to fulfil one element of the Strategy as a series of integrated works of art within the interior of the new facility and will be focused on the glazed areas in the main entrance area which require to have glass obscured for privacy. Using a common theme to be determined by the artist, it is envisaged that a number of artworks will be installed to create a distinctive identity for this area of the building. In addition to the main entrance, there are other areas of the Balfour requiring the application of art to glazed screens for privacy and the theme developed in response to this brief could be further developed to those areas. The finished works will also be part of a wayfinding strategy which will be progressed by the Interior Designers (Keppie) and Principle Contractors (Robertson) in other parts of the building.

Responding to the brief An artist is sought to develop a concept for the main entrance area and pods in the clinical support office area that makes use of the functional requirement for obscure glazing as the basis for creating works of art. Artists who wish to develop the concept for this commission may choose to work with service users and staff to inform the final works of art, but this is not an absolute requirement for the commission. Other elements of the Art Strategy for the Balfour will be commissioned under a separate contract including a commission based on community participation. Your proposal should comprise the following

• A written expression of interest (maximum 500 words) including reference to any research method and/or any process of involvement you may wish to use (if relevant) and materials you envisage using. • Up to 10 digital images of recent work. • A current CV. • Details of two referees.

Selection process Proposals should be received no later than 17.00 Monday 3rd December. It is envisaged that no more than three artists will be asked to attend interviews in Kirkwall on Friday 14 Dec or by video link. Criteria for assessment of proposals received will include:

• Quality of approach to the commission in terms of concept and development/production process. • Quality of previous work in terms of concept and production values. • Understanding of and sensitivity to the health environment.

The selection panel will comprise some of the following;

• Staff representation. • Patient and public representation. • Project Director. • OIC Arts Officer. • Robertson Design Manager (or representative). • Endowments Committee representative. • Clinical Nurse Manager.

The Balfour is scheduled to open in May 2019. The works of art developed through this commission should be installed before the building is open if at all possible which will require a process of joint working with Robertsons and Keppies which will be supported by the NHS Orkney Balfour Project Director.

Budget A fee of £6,500 will be awarded to the successful artist to research and develop the scheme from initial concept through to final design. The £6,500 fee will be inclusive of travel and subsistence and materials required for the design stage. The output from this contract will therefore be a fully designed and costed scheme. Following approval, the cost of production and installation will be met by NHS Orkney from the Art Strategy budget.

Ownership, copyright, sustainability, insurance etc. Copyright of any work created solely by the artist (including in any preliminary designs) shall remain at all times with the artist. NHS Orkney will be the owners of the art created and will require copyright consent from the artist to permit reproduction of the art for publicity and promotion purposes in print, for recordings and online. All works of art created through this commissioning process will require to be installed on the basis of meeting relevant health and safety requirements as defined by NHS Orkney. A plan for ongoing maintenance and security of the works of art will be developed in consultation with the artist, however it must meet infection control requirements and only require low maintenance. Implementation of the plan will be the responsibility of NHS Orkney. The appointed artist will require public liability insurance. If the appointed artist were to propose some form of community involvement as part of the creation process, he/she would be required to become a Protection of Vulnerable Groups scheme member at their own expense. More information Artists interested in applying should contact Antony Mottershead, Arts Officer, for supplementary information and plans. A site visit can be arranged in advance of the submission deadline. Email: [email protected], Telephone: 01856873535 Extension 2406

Submission of proposals Artists are invited to send their response to the brief as outlined above to the following email address no later than 17:00 Monday 3 December 2018. [email protected]