The Hydrotherapy Pool, Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Disease & Brownsword Therapies Centre
Royal United Hospital, Bath
Contractors: Kier
The new centre at the RUH in Bath was designed with a strong focus on art and heritage, blending historic paintings from the former site with newly commissioned modern works—including Christopher Tipping’s glass panels, which feature local landscapes and hydrotherapy-inspired designs on the building’s exterior.
The building was recognised as the ‘Best Collaborative Arts Project (Static)’ at the prestigious Building Better Healthcare Awards 2020.
The glass screens for the Hydrotherapy Pool were commissioned by Hetty Dupays, Art & Design Manager for Art at the Heart of the RUH.Christopher also worked closely with Gina Sargeant, Head of Therapies, who emphasised the importance of the patient experience during therapies.
Using a mixture of techinques we produced the 18 double-glazed units that decorate the therapy pool. The screenprinted ceramic frit introduces colour and movement, while the etching techniques provide privacy for patients while in the pool area.
Techniques used: Screen printing; Opaque enamels; Transparent enamels; Acid etching
