Morriston hospital in Swansea is undergoing a huge £102M redevelopment as part of an ambitious plan to re-shape the way hospital services are delivered in south-west Wales. The hospital is one of the largest in the country, but its pre-war buildings required either updating or replacing with modern, new premises. ROCKFON ceiling solutions are installed throughout the hospital including the impressive main atrium in the Outpatients’ building.
There is increasing recognition that art can have a positive impact on people’s health and sense of wellbeing. At Morriston Hospital, art commissioned and managed by Art in Site Ltd is used to help create a welcoming and attractive environment for patients. The art in the building was inspired by the Welsh landscape and its people, including Alan Goulbourne’s striking wall sculptures in the double height atrium. White blocks of acoustic material in various sizes are clustered on the wall elevation reminiscent of rough-hewn blocks traditionally used in stonewalls.
ROCKFON Eclipse islands are suspended in the atrium to provide sound absorption and continue the visual theme. The Eclipse islands are suspended at different heights and in different sizes to create a wave formation, floating in the centre of the space. Patterns of fractured striated rock are printed on the visible surface of each island. Here the objective is to make a link between macro and micro worlds.
Mike Sealey, Design Manager for BAM Construction explains why ROCKFON was chosen for the project: “BAM had already chosen ROCKFON for its outstanding acoustic performance, cost and infection control properties. When we discovered the sculptor often used building materials in his work we knew ROCKFON would be the perfect fit. The use of ROCKFON Eclipse helps keep reverberation levels to a minimum in this busy area and provides a fascinating sculpture which lends patterns of light and visual variety to the large space.”
Lindsey Jones, Assistant Director of Strategy who leads the project on behalf of the Health Board commented, “On such a large project it’s very important to integrate art into the overall interior design strategy and I was conscious that the budget funded by the Welsh Government had to be used and spent wisely. As such it was decided that the use of the ROCKFON product not only provided a striking visual impact in the building but added value to the project by enhancing the acoustics within the waiting space. We have had many positive comments about the suspended sculpture and I would like to thank ROCKFON for their assistance in the project”.
ROCKFON Eclipse islands are an ideal solution for adding distinctive visual appeal to any space while contributing to good acoustics at the same time. These versatile islands are available in a range of sizes and shapes including: squares, rectangles, circles, standard geometric shapes and custom formats and they can be ordered in any colour or printed with a pattern of your choice. The islands are easy to install and can be suspended from many structures (including concrete, wood, steel) using the ROCKFON Eclipse suspension system. They can be positioned in any arrangement, at any height and mounted at different angles.
Craig Tucker, Director at Bay Productions Ltd, installed the islands and was impressed with how easy they were to use: “It was pretty straight forward to fit the islands, the spiral anchor fixings were quick and simple to fix. I think the overall result was clean and elegant. We wouldn’t have any issues using ROCKFON Eclipse again.”
Eclipse islands are suitable for both new build and refurbishment projects where suspended ceilings cannot be installed, or the acoustics are particularly challenging, and where the design calls for a ceiling that is out of the ordinary.
ROCKFON technical services and sales team helped in the selection of suitable materials for the ceilings and sculpture panels in meetings with the University Health Board and BAM. Mike Sealey valued their help and advice: “It’s always useful to discuss new projects directly with ROCKFON because they are very knowledgeable. ROCKFON is a straightforward first port of call. Organising the sculpture was out of the ordinary but the ROCKFON team were pleased to help and took it in their stride.”
ROCKFON MediCare Plus is installed throughout the wards, treatment rooms, corridors and dental school rooms. ROCKFON MediCare Plus ceiling tiles fulfil all the essential hygiene requirements in healthcare environments and comply with the Department of Health’s HBN and HTM guidelines. MediCare Plus is available in 20-25mm thick stone wool tiles. The visible surface of the tiles is covered with a white painted, water-repellent fleece that is resistant to bacteria and mould growth and can be effectively steam cleaned. MediCare Plus has obtained a Bacteriological Class B1 certification and does not contribute to the growth of MRSA.
Mathew Kemble of Richard Kemble Contracts Ltd installed MediCare Plus using Chicago Metallic Click grid and found the process to be straight forward: “The whole installation went very smoothly, we use ROCKFON products for all hospital projects with BAM. The client is very happy with the finished look.”
