Proton Beam Centre

Willow leaf shapes have been cut into the Corian, giving the feeling of sitting under a tree. The sun rises in the corner of the room and sets on the opposite side. When you walk into the room, you know instinctively what time of day it is. This promotes what neuroscientists call a ‘parasympathetic rest and digest’ response – a mindful rescue for anyone feeling anxious and dislocated from the outside world.

The artist John Constable once observed the effect of nature and natural light on the soul: “No two days are alike, not even two hours; neither were there ever any two leaves alike since the creation of the world”. The Proton Beam artwork is programmed to do this idea justice. It constantly shifts and changes, and no two moments feel the same.

The room is broken up by a series of timber vertical beams, which encircle the waiting chairs. The light from the artwork plays between the beams, giving the effect of dappled sun breaking through a glade of trees. You can easily forget you’re five floors underground.

Clinicians understood the power of this work to put people in mindful states, and they’re planning mediation sessions and yoga in here to help patients achieve a state ofcalm and acceptance. Artworks such as these made with light –“lightworks” we’re calling them – bring together the latest insights in neuroscience with the instinctive approach of artists.  It’s a thread of work that we are eagerly pursuing. Currently we’re producing lightworks for Intensive Care (for patients recovering from comas), and for patients undergoing chemotherapy. Watch this space!