Gloucester Royal Hospital: Photography

A 24 meter long panoramic photograph capturing the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital skyline provides enjoyment and distraction to patients, staff and visitors. Walking past the artwork people become absorbed in its detail, recognising and pointing out key local landmarks.

The new panorama replaces a previous version taken in 2005 which proved so popular that, ten years later, the hospital asked arts consultants Willis Newson and artists Anna Heinrich and Leon Palmer to come back and update it.

The artists captured the extraordinary panoramic view from the existing hospital tower, taking one image every hour over a period of 24 hours to complete the 360 degree view. The artists painstakingly edited and lined each image up to make a seamless panorama.

The finished artwork is displayed in a corridor which links the new and old hospital buildings allowing it to function as an orientation piece, making the hospital a more welcoming and less stressful environment.

The project was made possible by generous sponsorship from Hanman Split; a Gloucester-based company who fabricated and installed the work. Phil Hanman, Director at Hanman Split, said “We work regularly at the hospital and often see the enjoyment people get when they stop to look at the photograph. When Willis Newson contacted us we offered to sponsor the piece because we can see the benefit the artwork has and we also think it’s a great piece of local history.”

The original panorama was created as part of a public art programme led by Willis Newson to enhance Gloucestershire Royal Hospital’s new building development by Bilfinger in 2005.