HIGH SECURE FACILITIES


The interior and exterior of the sports hall and gym. June Welo said: “The combination of an of an attractive setting, a range of sports facilities, and other amenities, can create an uplifting environment where patients and staff can thrive.”


fire safety, cleanliness, durability, and strict safety criteria. These were all tried out and tested within the facility.


Proximity and adjacencies Emphasis was placed throughout on the proximity and adjacencies between functions, people, and the building’s interior and exterior. Each patient ward comprises five to six private rooms with en-suite facilities, an integrated high-intensity/seclusion area, and communal dining and leisure rooms. The staff’s workspace is centrally located, adjacent to the common living area, with the workstations allowing for open, accessible, and 24-hour patient-employee communication. The personnel in adjacent wards have easy emergency access to one another for mutual support and protection. The common areas and space surrounding the inner courtyards incorporate outdoor amenities into the design, allowing for easy access to the outdoors at ground level, and fostering a lively atmosphere.


Diversity and adaptability Different requirements for tranquility and stimulation have been met – through measures ranging from calming and peaceful patient rooms to more activating and stimulating communal social areas. Art and colour contribute to the various spaces’ individuality, ambience, and


diversity, creating distinct environments for a range of uses. Flexibility was also prioritised, with spaces that can be easily adapted and reconfigured to meet changing needs. For example, several rooms have been designed for multi- purpose use, with the furniture within them easy to move and relocate. This approach makes it possible to meet individual needs, address future changes, cohort division, and temporarily seclude service-users in exceptional cases.


Contact with nature Incorporating nature is one of the most crucial aspects of developing healing architecture. Allowing the natural rhythms of light, weather, and season, to become an integral part of the building and daily life creates an environment that promotes wellbeing. The location of the new secure mental healthcare facility, and its natural beauty, played a vital role in our design approach, with the relationship between the inside and outside emphasised throughout the complex. Direct and unobstructed access to the outdoors, such as courtyards and gardens, was also fundamental. From the activity area, patients have access to a large activity garden facing south, following the landscape topography. There are numerous ways to interact with nature in this garden, such as playing ball games,


walking, or just sitting back and taking in the scenery. The landscape design, meanwhile, is based on local species. This approach provides a beautiful and natural setting for patients, and also makes for easier gardening and maintenance. In addition, patients benefit from the site’s spectacular context, unique therapeutic qualities, and excellent natural resources. There is broad consensus that the ability to wander outdoors can have a calming effect, and increase mindfulness and being connected to the moment.


Wayfinding By making things such as direction and signage within a facility such as this clear, unambiguous, and easy to understand, patients and staff will tend to feel less stressed and anxious, and the building will be simpler to navigate. The layout is intended to be simple to use; its legibility and clarity benefit those with cognitive issues and who experience frequent confusion. In addition, the courtyards are incorporated into the building’s design, making navigation more straightforward. Well-defined floor plans, and the ability to look across from one part of the building to another, meanwhile, facilitate staff and service-users’ comprehension of their environment, and provide suitable context. Similarly, signage is simple and intuitive,


The main corridor connecting the different parts of the building, ‘with natural light, integrated artwork, and stronger coloring’. 28 FEBRUARY 2023 | THE NETWORK


Photos used courtesy of m.herzog/visualis-images/


Photos used courtesy of m.herzog/visualis-images/


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