ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN
Going beyond function to aid mental wellbeing
Karen Flatt, Studio director & Mental Health lead at Arcadis IBI Group, considers how taking a ‘holistic’ view of mental health design means ‘looking beyond the purely physical function of the space, toward the feelings that different environments can evoke in their occupants’. She draws on some of the multidisciplinary practice’s mental healthcare projects ‘working to integrate it more into the everyday as part of the very fabric of the community’.
The UK is in the midst of a mental health crisis. Awareness around our mental health has never been higher, as more and more people are struggling, driven by a number of societal and economic factors, and a prolonged period of uncertainty. Recent research by the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute shows that almost 60% of adults in the UK cite the cost of living crisis as having a negative psychological impact. This was preceded by COVID-19 lockdowns, which had a profound impact on mental health, the effects of which are still felt. Analysis by the Royal College of Psychiatrists (summarised in a press release dated 8 April 2021, ‘Country in the grip of a mental health crisis with children worst affected’) found that more than two million adults, and almost 400,000 children and young people, sought had sought help even at that stage from mental health services during the pandemic, and the trend is not easing. This is creating greater urgency around finding workable solutions to ensure adequate mental healthcare that can effectively address the backlog and
rising new cases. The present situation is only adding to the existing problems facing the NHS, with a lack of funding and resources, stretched staff, a shortage of beds, and lengthy waiting lists.
Improving ‘outdated thinking’ The mental healthcare sector has typically been slow to evolve. At Arcadis IBI Group, we believe that now, more than ever, is the time to proactively review and improve outdated thinking that has been in place for many years, such as the approach to seclusion spaces, for example, which has not changed much in around 15 years. As our understanding of mental health conditions grows year on year, thankfully we are seeing a shift towards approaching facilities and services in a way that is focused on recovery and empowerment. In parallel, there is growing awareness of the role of architecture and design in influencing how individuals relate to their surroundings. In the same way that we take a holistic
approach to health, we must also take a holistic view of mental health design
to better accommodate the needs of today and tomorrow. This means looking beyond the purely physical function of the space toward the feelings that different environments can evoke in their occupants. This will help create more therapeutic environments that can more directly accelerate recovery, support wellbeing, and effect more widespread meaningful change.
Safe yet appealing environments Designing for our mental health and wellbeing should be geared around a deeper understanding of how people’s surrounding environments make them feel, whether at a community level, in step- down care facilities, or in inpatient hospital settings. That is not to say that facilities should not be highly functional at the same time, but we must try harder to do both simultaneously – marrying safety with supportive and welcoming environments that are more conducive to people getting well. This involves striking the right balance between functional, and appealing, healthy spaces. The key is to embrace the needs of
a neurodiverse society, and consider everyone when we create mental health and other care facilities. Detailed design considerations should cover everything sensitively – from light, sound, and acoustics, to ensuring safety without being sterile, and security and staff observability without feeling oppressive or imposing the historic associations of mental health buildings. A truly therapeutic space is one that is focused on people getting well, is patient-orientated, and tailored to how they feel.
An external rendered view of the new Pears Maudsley Centre for Children & Young People. THE NETWORK | AUGUST 2023
‘Sense-sensitive’ design Emotional responses differ, depending on the space, and typically many people might find healthcare settings to be anxiety-inducing, stressful, or frightening. Increasingly, evidence points to how ‘sense-sensitive’ environments can support reduced stress, better and quicker recovery, and more positive feelings overall. For example, Emotional Design
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Arcadis IBI
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