Norman Dott's dome-shaped neurosurgical operating theatres in Edinburgh (1960–2020) – End of an era

Abstract

When the new twin operating theatres at the Edinburgh Department of Surgical Neurology opened for the first time on 1 July 1960, they revealed a revolutionary space-pod design. The new department had been designed to firmly establish the specialty in Scotland and the UK, setting the stage for a period of real progress. The most distinctive feature of the two operating theatres was their egg shape, including domed ceilings pierced with operating lights, general lighting, ventilation grilles and viewing ports for visitors. Norman Dott (1897–1973) and his colleagues set the foundation for prosperity and success that lasted decades. However, 60 years after their opening, the DCN theatres at Western General Hospital shut forever, as the department moved to the new Department of Clinical Neurosciences, at the new Royal Infirmary Edinburgh. Echoes of the old theatres will live on in the new; the boldness of the design of the original theatres reflected the close cooperation between clinician–teachers, architects and administrators for the public good. This tradition of tangible confidence and optimism will hopefully carry into a new era, in the new hospital.