Wetland Wonders Active Travel Public Artwork

Wetlands Wonders are a series of seven decorative ground artworks created as part of the Perth Transport Futures infrastructure project.

I was one of five Scottish artists commissioned to create artwork that would punctuate the active travel route. My aim was to have pausing points along the wetland area that encouraged curiosity.

Zooming in and highlighting different aspects of the abundance of nature in the area. ‘Wetland Wonders’ is inspired by the harmony and richness of the natural environment, reflecting the vibrant habitats teeming with wildlife and plantlife that the new wetlands area aims to attract.

Consultation and Research

Through creative consultation workshops and conversations with Apple Tree Nursery in Perth and families at the site office, I gained valuable insights that directly shaped my thinking and the imagery.

The children loved exploring maps and imagining animals and their journeys, chatting about where they might go, what they might eat, and who they might meet along the way. They had fun creating textures and footprints, sparking conversations about animal clues and habitats – flowers, ladybirds, dragonflies, snails, heron, butterflies, moths, worms, centipedes, bats, frogs and toads. Their ideas were endless and some good random things in there too! (I didn’t manage to squeeze in the bear!) The consultation sparked so much creativity I could’ve made a hundred artworks on so many different themes! With all this input, plus research data into local wildlife, planting schemes, and site visits, I began to develop the designs through a mix sketching, collaging and slowly building a cohesive plan that would tie it all together to create the final designs.

“Louise led the children on a journey of creativity and discovery using open-ended questions to explore the children’s ideas and interests. The children enjoyed the freedom to mark make and imagine themselves as different animals and insects by imitating them while moving around the garden and were encouraged to create their own stories, pathways and patterns using their animal or insect of choice on paper. The children thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of the session. Louise was incredibly engaging with the children and the team. From stamping with ink to movement and exploring outdoors, chalk drawing to jumping like a frog, story telling of bears and ducks to bug hunting under logs“ Jo Machray, Appletree Nursery Director

Development

Abundance

Filled with ox-eye daisies, common knapweed, elder, marsh marigold, cows parsley, loosestrife, field scabious part of the planting scheme all encouraging pollinators, ladybirds and butterflies. I had an interest in looking closely at the oxeye daisy floret texture and created patterns and repeated elements. A full bloom abundance medley!

Wetland

Patterns and movement of the water encapsulating the activity of the wetland waterlife – frogs looking and catching flying bugs, heron standing still and flying off, dragonflies playing.

Journeys

Clues of footprints following the trails leading to worms, moths, slugs, snails, frogs, centipedes, and slaters. I had lots of fun creating the colourful trails with the broken mosaic tiles.

Blooming

With clues of footprints of ladybirds and snails dancing in circles and trails hinting at the next piece.

Collective Nouns

I had a lot of fun with the zooming in on nature and love all the collective nouns. I played with creating multiples of the animals to enhance the feeling of abundance with a pattern feel and encouraging you to look closer. Creating a Lovelyness of Ladybirds, Knot of Toads, Colony of Bats. featuring common pipistrelle bats flying and catching bugs over the wetlands and I enjoyed creating patterns to suggest echolocation, to spark curiosity of what might be there at night.

The trencadis (broken tile effect) was to add more texture around the pops of colour, pattern and imagery. I had a ‘smashing time’ doing this!

Combination of skills

This commission gave me the chance to bring together a whole mix of my skills, from delivering engaging consultation workshops, to developing concepts, refining designs, planning and turning a vision into reality. It also gave my brain a good work out using Pi (π!) to work out surface areas and project management skills.

Winning this type of large scale outdoor artwork commission allows me to create artwork that feels so aligned to me and my values – thriving, wellbeing, connection, highlighting the positives in life!

Group Effort

There are so many people to thank who helped bring everything together. Nichol Wheatley for his expertise and guidance throughout the project. My fantastic freelance team supporting the prep and installation — huge thanks to the amazing Rio for her can-do attitude and problem-solving, Theresa and Pamela for getting properly stuck in and Jonathan for delivering the pieces and Sam for working on the files with me.

Thanks also to the BAM Nuttall team for the groundwork and Sarah for her brilliant coordination. Grateful to Mark for the tiles, Katie for the cosy blankets and Jean Oudney for the feedback on the bat concept. And of course, a big thank you to all the children from Apple Tree Nursery and the families who took part in the site office consultation. Your input and enthusiasm were so valuable.

I have a strong interest in supporting wellbeing and I truly believe that artwork can play a role in encouraging people to get out and about. It was lovely to hear cyclists telling me “they’re going to bring their grandkids”, this is exactly the kind of response that makes what I do count. Art and design installations can be a gentle invitation to explore, to play and to connect with a place in a new way. I hope these pieces encourage more people to slow down, notice the beauty in the everyday and enjoy the amazing world we have right on our doorstep.

Thanks to the commission funded by Perth & Kinross Council, BAM Nuttal and Cross Tay Links, and Nichol Wheatley for the initial works to include artwork in this large scale infrastructure project. The other pieces include: The Living Bench, by artist Louise McVey, The Souterrain project, led by artist Kate Robinson, Two mural projects by Shona Hardie, Stone carved bench, by artist Lucinda Wilkinson. Wetland Wonders project, by artist Louise Kirby.

You can read more about my projects on my website.

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Artwork by Louise Kirby transforming hospital ward 1 at Kingsway Care Centre

I’ve recently had the privilege of working on a very special hospital artwork project: transforming Ward 1 at Kingsway Care Centre in Dundee with bespoke artwork designed to bring the outside in.

My aim was to create a calmer, more welcoming space that feels less clinical and more comforting for everyone who spends time there.

Consultation

I led a consultation workshop with staff groups and stakeholders and received feedback from my visual boards and questions from staff, patients and carers. Their insights were invaluable and directly shaped the final artwork.

Local flower inspiration

Research and Development

The process to get a solution for the space involved research, sketching ideas, different concepts, thinking, listening, drawing, edits and consultation, measuring, colour palettes, mocking up ideas and sampling. Through the consultation the seasons was talked about and this became focus for the designs and zoning of the areas.

Spring

Summer

Autumn

Nods to Dundee

I included Dudhope, Mains and Claypotts castle, with suggestion of the The Law and Cox Stack.

Quotes

“This wonderful initiative has brought a breath of fresh air and a sense of calm to the ward, and we’re very proud to provide funding for it.” – NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation

“Louise brought a wealth of expertise and a deeply person-centered approach. The resulting artworks reflect the voices and experiences of those in the ward.” – Tayside Healthcare Arts Trust

“It’s been a great improvement that feels like our own bespoke environment.” – Senior Charge Nurse Steven Elder

Photographed by David P Scott. All rights reserved. www.davidpscott.com

I love working on projects within healthcare spaces using my skills of consultation, having a person centred approach, inspired by spaces, visioning, creative skills, design development, working with multiple partners and feel the final designs help soften the clinical environment and help with navigation to help promote a sense of wellbeing and familiarity.

This project was commissioned by Tayside Healthcare Arts Trust (THAT) who supported my in my role as lead artist and funded by NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation and fabricated and installed by Phoenix Graphics. You can read NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation case study about it here

If you would like to see my other healthcare, public artworks and illustration designs you can see more on my website

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Sense of Belonging at Harris Academy

Louise Kirby smiling with a background of decorative metal circles on a wall — photo credit Mark Thomas, Dundee City Council

A privilege to work with Harris Academy to create the public art for the front of the school building. Artwork was inspired by the creative consultation during the summer term of 2024 where pupils and staff were invited to help me capture what’s great about Harris and it’s sense of belonging through drop in sessions, focus groups and the art department working with S2 pupils to hear their views. It was great to hear their responses, see their artworks and get their feedback which all helped form how the artwork developed.

Research and Development

Key themes emerged from the consultation that linked to the welcoming pupils and staff, subjects and extracurricular activity, feeling of belonging and the sense of place with the the tiered building with great views over the trees, ripples on the Tay, seeing the rail bridge and big skies and features from the past including the clocktower in the courtyard.

Some of the pics from the research and pupils artwork from the consultation and art department working with S2 classes.

Part of the research and logistics I had site visits and tour of the building, accessed maps and plans and access to old school yearbooks and meetings with senior management.

For this site specific design I wanted to captured a real sense of place and sense of belonging that worked from a distance with flowing movement of various sizes of circles working together and as you get closer you see the illustrated details with meaningful references to the school. Colour of the artwork links into the Harris school blazer colour as a majority plus pops of the brights of the house colours of Birnam (Red), Cawdor (Yellow), Forres (Green), Kinloch (Blue), that would contrast on the surface of the wall.

I developed concepts and created illustrated artwork and worked with fabricators and contractors to have the work fabricated and installed. As this was an outdoor artwork I chose to fabricate in metal and use a cutting technique to apply the decorative illustrative feel. This technique has some design challenges to create imagery without losing the essence of the image.

Pupils from Harris Academy standing outside the school with Louise Kirby all smiling next to the circular artworks on the front of the building — Photo Credit Mark Thomson Dundee City Council

“ What a privilege to work with Harris Academy to create the public artwork for the front of the building , it was a joy to run the sessions and hear so many positives about the school and bring this together to capture the pupils and staff feeling of the sense of belonging and the feeling of abundance and harmony. Within the circle illustrations I hope that people connect and interpret how it connects to them.” Louise Kirby

Planning and Installing

Thanks for Sam for helping in the studio with the files to meet the timeline for production and to local fabricator AS Fabrication for producing the final pieces and installing and local Powder Coating Services for adding the colours.

Individual Circle Artworks

With my artwork I like to create work that captures a sense of place and is meaningful and unique to space and people who use it. You can find out more about my projects and commissions on my website

2 thoughts on “Sense of Belonging at Harris Academy”

Christine scheuerl on February 28, 2025 at 1:54 pm said:

Inspirational

Reply ↓
- Louise on April 25, 2025 at 11:13 am said:
  
  Thanks Christine
  
  Reply ↓

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Dundee Design Festival 2024 2021 2019 2017 2016

Dundee Design Festival is currently on till 29th September, Dundee Design Festival is a UNESCO City of Design Dundee project, curated by Stacey Hunter held at Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc, open 10am – 6pm daily. More info on it here

2024 Highlights for me

A flavour of things I spotted on my first visit to this years festival…. plenty more to see.

Design is everywhere, it covers so many aspects of our lives that we don’t think about. I look fondly back at each of the festivals, each different in many ways!

2016 Highlights for me

Display by Old School Fabricators and Branding by Lyall Bruce, Kerrie Aldo patchwork coat, colourful film on the windows, getting some Tekels bank notes out of the machine by Martin Baillie, hands on workshops and the industrial building. The theme of the festival was ‘Place. Work. Folk. Design.’ through which the festival explored the potential of design to connect communities and improve everyday
lives. You can read the report here.

I was commissioned to create a series of surface patterns that piece together the stories of contemporary Dundee design. I wanted to capture a breadth of design that included healthcare, security, safety, fashion, entertainment and education, jewellery everything we use and experience. One of the pieces I created was called Building Support chosen not only as it represents a building designed by world renowned architect Frank Gehry but because I believe it evidences how good design changes peoples’ lives providing a place of calm, support, nurture and tranquility created within a purposeful space. Externally, I enjoy the shape and movement of the roof which I feel echoes the local landscape.

Within the image the patterns are more than decoration, for instance the colourful pattern is cancer cells, the teacups and books to show support and lavender to give a sense of calm, the sky is a positive sunny yellow patten to show the positivity of space and support.

Hands of X Different materials used on the hands of X project, that investigates prosthetic hands, identity, fashion, and ownership. Hands of X was led by Professor Graham Pullin and Andrew Cook of Dundee University.

Building Safety, Warp and Weft, Showing woven, printed and technical textiles with link to the bullet proof vest on display by Jack Ellis body armour showing how technical textiles can protect and Cally Bookers hand woven textile inspired by the river Tay linking to data in the cities population. Fashion Textiles, Showing some of the tools of fashion textiles including pattern cutting, tailors chalk and fabric.

Tools of the Trade Range of tools used by designers from the Wacom pad, ruler, scissors, tailors chalk. Precious Tools of jewellers and sample rings with a bio-morph from Islay Spalding. Stomach Showing the advances in healthcare with the sonic pill (sonopill). Creating Worlds eeGeo 3d mapping, showing how design is used to help us around with also road signs and imaginary worlds of Glitchspace.

Building New Worlds A combination of the future of V&A Dundee coming to the waterfront with imaginary worlds from Glitchspace through gaming. (at this time the V&A dundee wasn’t open yet). I love the texture and stripes of the architecture of V&A Dundee, designed by Kengo Kuma and the inspiration of the cliffs along the coast. Under one roof West Ward Works, Dundee Design Festival, showcasing the range of things on display through the use of pattern. This was one of my favourite pieces now with UNESCO City of Design Dundee.

Loved West Ward Works and brining the building alive and linking to the print history using CMYK palette.

I remember this commission well, the momentum and excitement to be part of it and I had one month to do all the research, samples, to produce the final hand screen printed pieces for install.

2017 Highlights from this year included

Sion Parkinson curator the 2017 Dundee Design Festival. The festival’s theme was “Factory Floor”, which was inspired by the festival’s location in a former print factory. I loved the playful feel of this exhibition from the branding to Print City, featuring oversized screen printed assembled cardboard shapes. I enjoyed taking part in a Make / Share to talk about my work process. You can read more about the festival here.

2019 Highlight from this year included

Curated by Agency of None transforming the Keiller Centre into exhibition spaces. A nice bit of nostalgia using the Keiller Centre with fun activities and good graphics to play with. More about this festival here.

2021 Highlights from this year included

Curated by Agency of None, the festival’s theme was Every Where Design, which explored the unusual and hidden design that can be found all around us. Loved the fun characterful repurposed materials and seeing the pigeon palace transformed into a bright space and engaging with the local community to accessories their clothes. More about this festival here.

Looking forward to seeing what happens in the years to come. Dundee is the only UNESCO City of Design here in the UK.

THANK YOU for reading my blog. If you’re interested in my mission to transform spaces and support positive wellbeing by playfully applying colour and pattern to help connect people to place and the work I do on a range of public art commissions for hospitals, cultural venues and public spaces. You can see more about some of my projects here.

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Illustration to support connection

Delighted to create the illustrations for Hello In There Wee One book that will be gifted to parents to be in Dundee at their 16 week appointment. This book is to help them imagine and relate to their baby before it arrive to help build a bond.

This project combined my love for Dundee, highlighting the positives as well as working with families and partners to create and identify imagery for the book that helps to support positive wellbeing.

Within the book there is an eight page story to read to bump. Illustrations were inspired by the conversations and sketches with families and stakeholders at the creative consultation, I distilled the information and developed a concept.

I also managed to sneak in added extras like the monkey stealing the letter off the information board that you might spot in the city centre and the wooden elephant made up of cubes at the Botanic Gardens.

Creative consultation

I designed and delivered creative consultation workshops with families from Home Start Dundee, Dundee International Women’s Centre and Coldside families plus workshops with healthcare stakeholders. I used a mix of creative engagement techniques to gather all the information I needed in a way that was fun and engaging.

Front Cover and end papers

For the front cover I created a medley of imagery in a repeat pattern that reminded me of the cute baby textiles. I was keen to include as many of the participants drawings in the book so designed a simple circle design filled with their line drawings.

Activity/Advice Part

Penguins became a theme within the story and to make it more readable I developed icons for tips for parents using a penguin character with an egg at its feet and tips from the baby with an egg with a fluffy penguin bursting out.

The book offers advice and places to add your own personalised record of pre-birth bonding. Illustrations helped echo some of the advice and act as prompt for activities. A mix of participant drawings and my quick drawings fill these pages.

People involved

Being part of this project allowed me to work with international author and illustrator Natalie Russell who supported the project from her role as lecturer in Illustration from DJCAD, University of Dundee. We worked together on the words of the story, and it was a delight to be able to show my work at development stages for feedback. Gavin Reid helped place all words and illustrations together and Winter & Simpson produced the books on lovely quality of paper. Vicky Armstrong (University of Dundee Psychology and Art At The Start) was instrumental to making this project happen with fun and enthusiasm.

There were many professionals were involved across Midwifery, Health Visiting, Family Nurse Practitioners, Infant Mental Health, Speech and Language Therapists, and Social Work teams from across different organisations, NHS Tayside Infant Mental Health, NHS Maternity, Dundee Health & Social Care Partnership, University of Dundee, Dundee City Council, Art At The Start. This project was funded by UNCRC Innovation Fund and the CORRA foundation.

I loved this project as it aligns to my core values of nature and wellbeing, connection to the world around us and enjoying the simple things in life right here on our doorstep, linking with play, curiosity and gratitude. You can see a full copy from the NHS Tayside website

THANK YOU for reading my blog. If you’re interested in my mission support positive wellbeing by playfully applying colour and pattern to help connect people to the world around them and some of my previous commissions for public art commissions for hospitals, cultural venues and public spaces. You can see more about some of my projects here.

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Decorative gates for Broughty Ferry Castle Terrace Gardens

I designed decorative gates and panels for the two entrances at Castle Terrace Gardens, part of the Broughty Ferry active travel enhancements. I responded to the site specific space by hearing the history of the gardens from residents and their desire to reflect a tranquil and relaxing space.

The final designs have a mix of flora, fauna and creatures with a nod to the fern and thistle that link past resident Mr Gilray who represented both Scotland and New Zealand at rugby.

To appeal to families with young children I highlighted some snails trails, ladybirds and butterflies that might be spotted in the gardens. I hope the gates encourage children to look closer and discover the magic that is around us. There are 2 entrances, each entrance is unique with a similar feel.

Design Process

With a project like this I have an abundance of ideas and use traditional methods of sketching to think through the process. Then I select and reject ideas to create clear concepts for feedback. As the project developed it was agreed that panels leading to the gates would be designed to give a coherent look. Designs were mocked up to help visualise and a classic bottle green was chosen. Designs were then developed fully to suit the manufacturing process and safety guidelines.

Accessibility

Part of this transformation includes a sloped accessible path into the gardens and decorative gates that open both ways. Broughty Ferry esplanade has been transformation to help improve active travel, part of a much bigger picture you can find out more here. I particularly love working on strategic projects that encourage people to get out and about and improve places.

Local Fabrication

Local fabricator (AS Fabrication) worked on the technical aspect of the gates design and the bottle green colour applied by Tayside Powder Coating Services. I love when ideas become reality and seeing my work applied to different surfaces and situations and working with experts in their field.

I have a vision of the world full of creative interventions to bring more joy to the spaces we play, live, work and travel through. My aim is to uplift and connect people and highlight the positives by creating artworks that capture a sense of place which creates a sense of belonging. I love to do this by playfully applying colour and pattern to site specific spaces with bespoke designs.

I designed gates for Windmill Gardens just next to Castle Terrace Gardens which have a different look to suit the space, you can see a link with the stripes and circles. You can see them here

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Windmill Gardens Gates

Great to see three new decorative gates I designed for the lovely public gardens in Broughty Ferry called Windmill Gardens. Gates were commissioned to enhance placemaking part of the new re-development of the esplanade.

Site Specific Inspiration

I took inspiration from the history that a wood-turning windmill stood on the site of Windmill Gardens around 1850s. In my design work I like to capture a sense of place and linking the history of the windmill helps to reconnect the name of the park to its past .

Design Process

I went through numerous iterations of composition, imagery and colours with consideration to the technical aspect of producing final designs that would be fit for purpose and meet the brief. I wanted to capture the movement of the windmill blades/sails and I playfully tested different compositions and imagery mixing my love of circles and stripes.

The three gates works as a series but each is individual with linking imagery and work visually inside and outside the gardens. It took many iterations from the bright gates I mocked up (below) to the final designs.

The new decorative gates were to replace 2 old gates that were not fit for purpose and to add a new entrance opposite Castle Green Playpark. I worked with local fabricator AS Fabrication to fabricate and install the gates and used Dundee based Tayside Powder Coated Services to apply the colour and Ieva to work on vectors. Gates were designed to be opened both ways to help with accessibility and consideration was made for the best material and processes for for the site. Colour is important to me and my initial thinking was to have sunset inspired colours but as the designs developed and the choices of colour palette was limited I chose this pigeon blue.

Bigger Picture

For me I want to create a welcoming and uplifting feel for locals and visitors by creating meaningful designs that re-connect people to the place and help highlight the gardens that are for public use. I highly recommend this little secret garden, always something lovely to spot!

Broughty Ferry esplanade is going through a transformation to help improve active travel, part of a much bigger picture you can find out more here.

I designed gates for Castle Terrace Gardens just next to Windmill Gardens which have a different look to suit the space, you can see a link with the stripes and circles. More info here

Photo above from Dundee City Council

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Transforming St Johns Maternity with artwork enhancements

Spaces have been transformed at St John’s Maternity ward in Livingston to give a warm and welcoming environment using artwork enhancements.

Picture – Chris Watt Photography 07887554193 info@chriswatt.com www.chriswatt.com

Picture – Chris Watt Photography 07887554193 info@chriswatt.com www.chriswatt.com¹

Staunch Industries applied my designs to a range of surfaces from tables, artworks, window manifestations, wall vinyl and fabrics. My role involved research, consultation with different user groups, development of concepts the decorative artworks.

Through the consultation period I identified key themes and considered colours, shapes, imagery and the user experience.

I would like to thank the new parents who spoke to me on the ward, maternity staff and parents who had used the service recently who met with me at KidsnKiz and Lothian Maternity Voice. For me the consultation is really important to help me get a deeper understanding of how the space is to be used and to identify colours and imagery that would help create a positive experience.

I believe it is important to create spaces that help alleviate the anxiety of a hospital visit. Thanks to Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity for funding this project.

Process

The designs concept taken forward combined positive and meaningful nature based elements such as flowers, seeds, leaves, strong resilient pinecone, dandelion wishes, aromatherapy plants to echo new beginnings and the positive journey of giving birth.

The designs on the ground floor have a sense of movement to echo the ebb and flow of giving birth. The first floor is a more homely, cosy environment with growing flora and fauna.

Consultation quotes

Like the lavender, nice and calming, triggers a response linked to aromatherapy
Kidz n Kin parent/CARER

Small flowers with grasses to give movement
Maternity Voices

I like the flowy feel, like the textures and suggestion of nature
Kidz n Kin parent/carer

Initial ideas after consultation

From the consultation I had lots of ideas and worked on concepts. Here are some of the initial ideas.

These concepts were developed further to create the final designs for the different areas of St Johns Maternity ward.

I have a vision of the world full of colourful creative interventions to bring more joy to the spaces we play, live, work and travel through. My aim is to uplift and connect people and highlight the positives by creating artworks that capture a sense of place which creates a sense of belonging. I love to do this with my use of playfully applying colour and pattern.

If you would like to know more about my work and see samples you can see more on my website

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Nature and wellbeing artworks – ‘Outside In’

These piece are my creative response to ‘Outside In’ which links the outside world to our inner self. Inspired by noticing the positives in nature and the feeling of gratitude creating an inner positive wellbeing. Journeys in nature continually inspire me with its cycles of growth, transformation, rhythm and flow as I explore the harmony and contrast of layering of colour and pattern inspired by moment of wonder in nature. If you would like to add a bit of artwork into your home or office I have each once listed below and you can contact me directly to purchase by emailing hello@louisekirby.com

Details of one off artworks

Title: Dappled Light

Medium: Acrylic collage

£180 (framed in 12″ x 12″)

Title: Abundance

Medium: Acrylic collage

£180 (framed in 12″ x 12″)

Title: Spot of Joy

Medium: Acrylic collage

£180 (framed in 12″ x 12″)

Title: Connection

Medium: Acrylic collage

£180 (framed in 12″ x 12″)

Title: Amongst The Trees

Medium: Acrylic collage

£180 (framed in 12″ x 12″)

Title: Flow

Medium: Watercolour collage

£250 (framed in 12″ x 12″)

Title: Harmony

Medium: Watercolour collage

£250 (framed in 12″ x 12″)

Title: Ripples

Medium: Watercolour collage

£150 (framed in 12″ x 12″)

Title: Reflections

Medium: Watercolour collage

£150 (framed in 12″ x 12″)

I loved working with circles and you can read more about my circle love here.

Title: Bouquet of Pheasants

Medium: Acrylic on paper

£300 (framed 51cm x 71cm )

Title: Flying Pheasants

Medium: Acrylic on paper

£180 (framed 43cm x 53cm)

Title: Escargotorie

Medium: Acrylic on paper

£180 (framed 43cm x 53cm)

I think they look good grouped together so if you would like more than one I can offer a discount.

If you would like to know more about my work and see samples you can see more on my website

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Transforming Spaces at Dundee Contemporary Arts

I’m delighted how the spaces have been transformed to be lighter brighter and more welcoming, inspired by the ideas of the Dundee International Womens Centre ‘Flourish’ group. I enjoyed taking the women on a journey through the design process to come up with ideas, explore colours and consider the people and how the space is used.

What I loved about this project is that it started as a seed of an idea to add a few bits of art and design on the walls by the women but as we investigated the space we identified more things that needed changed, a bit like opening a can of worms!

This instigated further research through consultation and focus groups to make sure we were getting this space right. I loved how the DCA have embraced this and helped make it happen.

On all projects I work on I love to understand the space and people who use it and use creativity to make a positive difference in the world.

Process

I designed six workshops that would take the group through a design process in an accessible and fun way. We took a lovely inspirational trip to University of Dundee Botanical Gardens where we spent time in the glass houses finding shapes, textures and colours we liked and shared with each other and how it made us feel, we continued with some houseplants drawings from the DCA learning space and through the weeks we experimented with colour, shape, pattern, textures and layouts where I encouraged play and collaboration.

From their medley of their ideas and feedback from the consultation I refined the concepts and we mocked them up to scale in the DCA learning space for the public consultation. From this I tweaked designs ready for fabrication of Barry from RobertSigns. I love how it has all come together.

It was an absolute pleasure watching Louise guide the flourish group learners through the design process. Louise has a real talent for creating joyful moments that bring people out of their shells and help them to see their creative potential.

Louise shared so many skills with the women, they were very vocal about how appreciative they were to learn these new skills, colour mixing in particular was something the women massively enjoyed.

Having Louise’s artistic vision to collate all of the women’s idea’s into a cohesive design was incredibly important and her consideration of those who would use the infant feeding/changing and gender neutral toilet area made for a joyful design that fit the needs of the of users and that DCA is incredibly proud of”.
Lynne McBride, Learning Coordinator, Dundee Contemporary Arts.

User Experience and consultation

I believe in the importance of understanding the user experience and getting a range of viewpoints so I can make the best decisions for the site specific space. We spoke with Dundee International Women’s Centres (Flourish parenting group), Breast Buddies, NHS Infant Nutrition Coordinator, Dads group, Bring A Baby audience and staff at the DCA.

Colour

Colour is so important to space, we played with colour, mixed colour and put colour palettes together. Through my knowledge of colour in spaces and consideration of the size and usage of the space we chose a calm palette for the feeding space with plants and geckos and a more abstract design of textured spots in the changing area and shelf of houseplants in the gender neutral toilet and all linked together to create coherent theme.

Transforming Spaces

I had to trust my ability and process that I would be able to draw ideas from the women and use my skills as a designer and facilitator to get high quality end results.

Impact

It was good to hear that some of the women have revisited DCA and the University of Dundee Botanic Gardens in their own time with family or friends.

“To have the DIWC learners feel included in planning the infant feeding room, has had a massive impact on the learners confidence. The group feedback has been excellent”
Salma, Dundee International Womens Centre

“I felt valued”
Flourish participant

“It was such an honour to have this opportunity to take part in this project”
flourish participant

Before and After

Please share this space is open to the public to use at the Dundee Contemporary Arts

Louise Kirby

I am ready to take on new design challenges and if you have a project, collaboration or commission in mind please get in touch hello@louisekirby.com or you can check some samples on my website to give you a flavour of previous projects.