Two artistic commissions for the new neonatal facility at Södersjukhuset (Stockholm South General Hospital)

 

Invitation

Region Stockholm invites professional artists to apply for two public art commissions in connection with a conversion of the neonatal unit at Södersjukhuset (Stockholm South General Hospital). The artistic commissions pertain to 1) light art in corridors and 2) integrated art in three intensive care wards.

Background

Södersjukhuset, one of Stockholm County’s accident and emergency hospitals, is being modernised and expanded to meet the demands of the Stockholm region’s growing and aging population. Thus, the hospital is facing its most comprehensive transformation since its inauguration in 1944. The new treatment building, which will comprise a larger emergency department, new operating theatres, a new healthcare facility and a new maintenance department, will ensure that Södersjukhuset is equipped for the future. In connection with this expansion, the present emergency department will be converted into a neonatal unit. The healthcare facility is scheduled to open in September 2021.

The Future Södersjukhuset

By constructing a new treatment building and renovating and converting existing spaces, Södersjukhuset will be equipped to render the healthcare more efficient, as well as meet the increased demands of patient safety, healthcare quality and care. A natural part of the project, art will contribute to the experience of the buildings.

The neonatal unit will provide intensive as well as family-centred care for premature and newborn babies. The hygiene requirements are high. The babies and their parents find themselves in a difficult and vulnerable situation. The care time varies from a few days to several months. The parents reside in the unit and participate in caring for their babies. While focus is always on the patient/parents, the unit is also a workplace for the healthcare staff.

Description of the Artistic Commission

The artistic commission at the neonatal unit continues the tradition of art at Södersjukhuset. The value of art in a hospital environment works on several levels. Art should create ideas and new realms of thought for patients, visitors and staff. It should be of interest to all age groups and contribute to an atmosphere of care and security. Art on a neonatal unit caters to people in a vulnerable and delicate situation.

A coherent artistic commission that induces calm and variation will provide the neonatal unit with art that is well-adapted to the architecture as well as to the conditions and needs of the care activities.

The art should contribute to creating a caring and humane environment. Parents and staff that spend long periods of time here need a safe context in which the art may contribute to making the environment tranquil and less institutional. The artistic commission should contribute to providing rest, comfort, distraction, energy, stimulation, strength and recovery. Care activities are carried out throughout the day.

Site Conditions

The new premises will be created in an existing, deep building with limited light transmission. Although daylight is supplied by two new inner courtyards, the corridors and interior rooms will be perceived as dark. Here, an artwork featuring light can make a big difference. The focus is on the three intensive care wards. Here, parents who hold their babies for many hours need something to focus their attention on – an artwork that appears soothing and at the same time interesting.

The artworks shall meet high hygiene requirements in terms of material selection, installation etc. In this robust and technology-dense environment, strong resistance against impact, wear and cleaning is essential. The artistic commissions shall meet the technological requirements and recommendations that apply to the rest of the design of the environment. The artworks must not protrude too much from the wall or have sharp edges.

Commission 1

An artistic commission with light art/light installation for the central corridors of the unit, with a focus on certain sites. The artistic commission may partly comprise the ceiling and shall create a sense of space and light. The light art may be installed on/in walls and/or projected on walls. It is especially important to collaborate with the architect, electricity consultant, lighting consultant and building project management in order to coordinate the general lighting and the electric installations as well as the installations that are required for the care activities.

Two artists/artist groups will be awarded parallel sketch assignments for light art in the corridors. After submission and assessment of the sketch proposals, one artist/artist group will be awarded the commission.

Commission 2

An artistic commission pertaining to folding screens and some ceiling boards in three intensive care wards. The three wards include a total of 13 beds/incubators and a total of 8-10 mobile folding screens between the beds/incubators. The environment is technology-dense with high hygiene requirements. An artistic commission featuring images laminated on the folding screens that are required in the care activities and on some of the ceiling boards will ensure that these requirements can be met in a considerate manner. Measuring 60 x 60 cm, the ceiling boards can be manipulated in a variety of ways or replaced by other materials of the same dimensions. The cost of the screens with digital prints as well as the standard-model ceiling boards will be covered by the building project’s budget.

An artist/artist group will be awarded a sketch assignment for integrated art in the intensive care wards. After submission and assessment of the sketch proposal, this artist/artist group will be awarded the commission.

The ambition for both commissions is to create a more peaceful and inspiring environment. The artworks should be able to be experienced both during the day and the night throughout the year. They will be part of an architectural whole which entails liaising with the architect and the lighting consultant. Instructions for cleaning the materials must be included.

Requirements

The art commissions should be of high artistic value, with a sophisticated content, be durable, contribute to a visually attractive environment and provide the neonatal unit with character. The art commissions are part of an architectural context which implies collaboration with project managers from the Art Department of the Region Stockholm, art consultants, project management from the County Council’s property company Locum, architects, light consultants and other actors.

Budget

For the sketch assignment: 40,000 SEK exclusive of VAT.

For the sketch assignment for the intensive care wards: 30,000 SEK exclusive of VAT.

The cost ceiling for the execution of the artistic commission of light art is estimated at 620,000 SEK exclusive of VAT.

The cost ceiling for the execution of the artistic commission of the intensive care wards is estimated at 220,000 SEK exclusive of VAT.

This will cover all costs connected to the execution and installation of the artwork(s), such as the artist’s own project planning time, material costs, mounting, fees for subcontractors/assistants, travel, transportation, insurance, the artist’s own fee for executing the work and the artistic fee, as well as storage until the artwork(s) can be installed. The artist must also provide an environmental checklist and a maintenance description. Operating and maintenance instructions must be covered by the artist’s budget.

Construction-related costs for mounting and installing the artwork(s) are covered by the building project’s budget. Some installation may be covered by the building project’s budget. The screens with digital prints as well as the standard-model ceiling boards of Commission 2 will be covered by the building project’s budget

 

Timetable According to the Current Construction Plan

• 2019-03-10. 24.00 hours: Application deadline.
• 2019-03-19. Decision on which two artists will be invited to parallel sketch assignments for Commission 1 and which artist will be invited to sketch assignment for Commission 2.
• 2019-03-25. Initial meeting with the artists for the sketch assignments.
• 2019, weeks 18-19. Proposal review meeting during ongoing sketch work.
• 2019-06-17. Proposal submission.
• 2019-06-20. Decision on which sketch proposal(s) will be selected.
• August 2019-August 2021. Production of artwork(s) according to the project timetable.
• Mounting/installation of artwork(s) in collaboration with the building project. The neonatal unit is scheduled to be completed in September 2021.

Who can apply?

• To be eligible for a public art commission for the Stockholm County Council, you must fulfil the following requirements:
• You must be a professional artist.

When the commission is awarded you must be registered for Swedish F-tax (as a sole trader or company). A copy of a certificate from the relevant authority must be submitted on request.

Additional Requirements:

• The artwork(s) should take into consideration the specific characteristics of a hospital environment.
• The artist(s) should provide solutions for the operation and maintenance of the artwork(s) and ensure that a sufficiently high level of durability is achieved.
• Environmental concerns must be taken into consideration in the selection of materials and production methods.
• The artist(s) must be on site during the installation of the artwork.

Notification of Proposal Submission

The decision on which artists will be invited to submit a proposal will be made by the Director of the Art Department, delegated by the Culture Committee, and will be published on the Cultural Administration’s website, www.kultur.sll.se in March 2019. Artists who are invited to submit a proposal will be notified by telephone.

Questions

For general information on our art commissions and requirements, please consult our frequently asked questions (faq).

Questions concerning the application or the project should be submitted in writing via e-mail to susanne.andersson.kopp@kultur.sll.se no later than 2019-03-04 to allow for replies before the application deadline.

Commissioning Agency

Region Stockholm is the commissioning agency and will be party to the agreements with the artists. The Culture Administration manages the art project, which includes the application and selection process.