Brian Eno previously brought us Music for Airports, composed specifically to help us all go easy on the Valium-and-Dramamine cocktails at the terminals.
Now he’s set to expand on this theme — providing the soundtracks for traditionally uncomfortable spaces — by joining the redevelopment project of a London Accident & Emergency room.
Eno’s ambient music, along with other tweaks designed to help soothe patients such as replacing the bare white walls with a warmer color, could provide “distraction therapy” at Chelsea and Westminster hospital. The technique is already being put to use in the hospital’s pediatric burns unit, where visual projections are employed sometimes in place of administering morphine.
The Chelsea and Westminster Health Charity, the organization backing the project, says it needs to raise £600,000 to “help create a state of the art A&E department for 140,000 patients.” The program is backed by the UK’s culture ministry and already has the support of celebrities like Hugh Grant.
“Music can be designed to help improve the atmosphere and environment for people going through difficult times,” Eno said in a statement. “I am very happy that this wonderful organization has approached me to do something at Chelsea and Westminster, which I have to say is the nicest hospital I’ve ever been in.”
• Brian Eno: http://brian-eno.net
• Chelsea and Westminster Health Charity: http://www.cwhc.org.uk
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