We were commissioned by the Chelsea and Westminster Health Charity to design the interior look and feel for seven new paediatric wards within the Chelsea Children’s Hospital. Our response was to an existing brief on the theme of ‘Space’, a subject already adopted within the paediatric wards. To ensure our work had as much positive impact as possible, we focused on the patient experience and researched into the positive effects of art in healthcare environments. The clinical effects of colour also formed part of our research as well as a creative consultation with children from the hospital school, helping shape the early stages of the project.

To bring the concept to life we collaborated with illustrators Gilles & Cecilie Studio and Malika Favre. Their imaginative interpretation led to a creative storyline involving alien families that interact with the ward interiors, such as furniture and equipment. Each ward has its own family who have unique character traits, behaviours and expressions that complement the ‘activity’ that takes place in the wards. A whole set of new planets were added to the CCH’s Universe. Friendly and engaging characters to make patient and relative stay as pleasant as possible.