Pupils' artwork creates sanctuary in staff wellbeing space at Forth Valley Royal Hospital

The students, who are in S1 to S6, worked alongside Artlink Central and Bespoke Atelier to create work to transform the space into an uplifting escape, blending the worlds of art and architecture.

After a workshop at school, 22 pupils created a series of creative illustrations inspired by the foliage and patterns found in house plants and other botanical flora in the space to act as decorative screening on all of the glass corridor windows and doors looking out into the staff coutyard space to provide some sanctuary and privacy.

The house plant imagery was chosen as a recent study undertaken by Reading University and the RHS suggests it gives people a boost and many found the forms and dense patterns and forms relaxing and uplifting, conjuring up memories of home or being on holiday.

Bespoke Atelier have also been commissioned to create a large communal seating area with a sail to shade or shelter NHS staff whatever the weather.

Mhairi McAinsh, art and design teacher at LHS, said: “We have a fantastic partnership with NHS Forth Valley Hospital and Artlink Central, which provide so many wonderful opportunities for our young people, inspiring many pupils to follow a creative positive destination after school.

"Working on real life design briefs brings the creative industries sector to life with so many practising artists and designers working across many different fields coming into school to deliver workshops.

“Based on the success of our ‘Reimagining Spaces’ Scottish Government pilot with Anna Campbell Jones, which reimagined an unloved building in the local environment (Larbert Cemetery Gatehouse), we are embarking on using this staff wellbeing courtyard space at the hospital for our Reimagining Spaces project year two - ‘Sanctuary’.”