Location
Belvedere Ward, Franklyn Hospital, Exeter, Devon
Aims and outcomes
The aim of the project was to use the rebuilding and redevelopment of the ward to provide a sensory environment that is both stimulating and calming for people with dementia. At the beginning of the project alterations were made to the plans for the rebuilding to allow access from the new social spaces directly into the courtyard garden.
Workshops involving service users were integral to the development of the artworks that were commissioned. The local landscape, including the seashore and moors, has been reflected in the small, comfortable seating areas at the junction of the corridors. Accent colours, light boxes, new signage, photographs and memorabilia help patients find their way around the ward. Artwork in the main social space includes a local map and tiles made by patients, and this leads to the central external courtyard, which has been designed to provide a safe space for walking with raised beds and plenty of sheltered seating.