Pictured: (l-r) Vic Johnson and Matt Spinks (both Johnson Design Partnership)

A boutique architect practice in the Midlands is changing the way healthcare projects are designed and built after its founder saw firsthand the need for a more therapeutic environment for both patients and visitors.

Vic Johnson made the vow after spending weeks visiting his wife Amanda in hospital after she suffered a life-threatening brain haemorrhage.

The Managing Director of Bridgnorth-based Johnson Design Partnership (JDP) used time spent wandering the corridors to develop a blueprint that would make hospitals and healthcare centres more in keeping with the real world, providing a mix of vital medical services, outstanding care facilities and high street retail outlets.

He is already turning this commitment into reality after his practice beat major national rivals to secure a £200,000 contract to complete the internal refurbishment of the transport and discharge unit at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead, London.

"Hospitals can be a soulless place and we wanted to look at ways where we could use the latest design techniques and clever space utilisation to create environments that are welcoming, aid recovery and also provide essential facilities to visitors," explained Vic, who founded the company in 2001.

"We also looked at the commercial element and how we could create opportunities for high street retailers to be based within these buildings. This not only improves the visitor experience, but also offers major commercial benefits to hospitals and centres that are increasingly needing to become more self sufficient."

He continued: "The NHS Trust behind the Royal Free really bought into this vision and we have already been asked to complete further feasibility studies into units for medical physics, CAMHs and paediatric care, the boardroom and the main concourse.

"In fact, we are amongst a select group of architects approved to complete work for the hospital, who predict an annual capital spend of more than £20m."

JDP's ability to take bold design and principles used in other fields and apply them to the healthcare sector has seen it receive a raft of national enquiries and, as a result, the company has launched a second office in the capital.

Based in Bloomsbury, the office is a convenient base for managing ongoing projects in London and for dealing with high profile enquiries in both the education and commercial fields.

The company is also extremely busy in its traditional home of the Midlands after completing a 10-bed nursing home extension in Tipton and undertaking feasibility studies for the Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Trust and the Smethwick Wellbeing Centre.

Matt Spinks, recently appointed Director at JDP, continued: "We pride ourselves on doing things differently, thinking outside the box and using innovation in our designs to deliver striking buildings that not only meet the needs of users but can deliver commercial benefit to the client.

"This is why we are able to take on the bigger practices and win. The healthcare sector, in particular, is really embracing our approach and we are currently in talks on another medical centre in the Black Country."

Johnson Design Partnership is on course to celebrate its tenth birthday in style, with turnover set to hit a record high of £330,000.

The company, which is ISO9000:2000 and ISO14001 accredited, offers a complete project management service from feasibility work and planning to detail design, project monitoring and contract administration. 

In addition to work in healthcare, it also boasts a proven track record in 'grand designs', commercial and industrial, education, retail and landmark infrastructure projects.