The Children’s Theatre Suite project won the Design Excellence Award with Distinction as well as the Outstanding Achievement Award with a specific mention highlighting innovation in sustainability design.

The new facility provides a ‘state-of-the-art child-friendly’ environment which has been designed by putting children at the heart of their care. Work began in summer 2019 and the first patients were welcomed in May this year.

Located next to the children’s medical ward and outpatient department, the new unit has two children’s operating theatres, with assessment and recovery spaces, a quiet room for parents, and indoor and outdoor play areas.

A partnership with the ARCHIE Foundation raised £2 million to help make the unit more child-friendly with additional design elements and engaging, colourful artwork. Many exciting designs were developed with input from children, families and staff.

Jonathan Milne, NHS Tayside architecture & design lead, said: “Good design is the result of good collaboration between all parties involved in the process throughout the journey. Since the inception of the Children’s Theatre Suite project, we have had good engagement with clinical staff and we were lucky to partner with the ARCHIE Foundation to help us make the difference so that it did not feel like a standard institutional facility.

“We worked closely with our local architect and artist to create an architectural and interior design solution to appeal to all age ranges of children. We can be proud that this project has truly been ‘designed in Dundee’.”