Two top-performing MA Interior Design (Online) students at Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) have recently completed a live brief, presenting designs for reimagined communal areas at Bournemouth-based luxury retirement housing, Brompton Court.
Hope Hunt and Iryna Lytuyneko pitched their visions for areas such as the reception, dining room and hobbies room, to estate manager Helen Morrell, who coordinated the collaboration.
"My overall aim was to create a space that felt both welcoming and considered, with a sense of quiet luxury," Hope explains. "I wanted the design to reflect Bournemouth’s local history and culture, so that it felt familiar and meaningful to residents, while also supporting wellbeing and social connection.
“A big part of my research looked at healthcare design principles and art therapy. I was particularly interested in how creative activity can support mental wellbeing in later life. I chose to include elements of art therapy in my design following a podcast I listened to that spoke about mental retirement, and the decline of IQ as people age and become unable to partake in mentally and socially stimulating activities.
“This was also quite personal for me as my grandma is currently in retirement living, and she struggles with her vision and mobility, so I wanted to make sure the spaces felt accessible and confidence-boosting.
“I chose colour palettes to reflect both the setting and the atmosphere of each space. In the reception and hobby room, I drew on coastal Bournemouth tones and spa-inspired case studies to create a calm, soft sense of luxury. For the dining room and corridors, the palette was influenced by colours found in local stained glass and the nearby Pine Walk, tying the scheme more closely to its surroundings.”
The brief came about when the Chairman of the Board at Brompton Court, inspired by the AUB murals he'd seen around Bournemouth, suggested to Helen that she organise a collaboration with students to reinvigorate the Grade II listed building's interiors.
"This was a fantastic opportunity for students to work on a live brief with a real client," says MA Interior Design unit leader Diana Celella. "The project centred on collaboration – not only with the client, but across design sectors, combining healthcare and hospitality thinking to create meaningful and relevant outcomes.
“This was a real challenge. The students had to respond to the constraints of a Grade II listed building while creating a beautiful, cohesive aesthetic. Alongside this, they needed to apply evidence-based design principles for senior living, balancing heritage, functionality and wellbeing.”
Brompton Court was previously the Royal National Hospital, built in 1855 high on a hill to catch the sea air – a treatment for tuberculosis patients in an era before antibiotics.
“You can still see the verandas where they used to push the patients out in their beds to take the air," says Helen, who's been involved with the building since 1998.
At that time, the building was a shadow of its Victorian elegance, and when Bovis Homes took it on in the late '90s, they faced the monumental task of preserving the listed frontage and the original chapel, while creating 66 modern retirement apartments.
Now, following Hope and Iryna's presentations, elements of their visions may soon become part of the permanent fabric at Brompton Court.
"I absolutely loved the designs," says Helen. "It was lovely to encourage them and build their confidence. To see people take a totally different view of a building that is so close to my heart, it was a great experience for me personally, Brompton Court, and I think for the students too."
