Inpatient Accommodation


A ‘passive courtyard’; good access to outside space was one of the key priorities identified by service-users and staff.


with vinyl on the floors. Bedrooms also have window seats. We did look at a satellite design, with the wards feeding off a central hub, but subsequently agreed on two key areas separated by a link corridor. “The windows in the bedrooms incorporate


a grille which lets air in; they are Britplas Safevents. Service-users also have control of the radiators in their rooms; it is features like this that give them back some feeling of control.” “Being able open your own window to let in fresh air, or to get any sort of view, is essential,” added Jacky Vincent.


TARGETING ‘BEST-IN-CLASS’ I asked Mike Trigg about the wider design philosophies Osborne had sought to harness, working with the architects, based on the Trust’s brief. He said: “Our goal has been to design a non-institutional, best-in-class facility. The finished buildings will be airy, with high ceilings and, as you walk down the corridors, views out through big windows. There are also large rooflights to bring light in. “We and P+HS Architects also put much


thought into the external design. The buildings are all timber-framed, and constructed from structurally insulated timber panels, erected by our sister company, Innovaré. The roof is timber too, to complement the panels, and the surrounding woodland. “The south elevation and the roofs incorporate timber shingles, while the north elevation incorporates vertical timber boarding. There is a copper panelling feature on the front elevation, and zinc in other areas. The finished


One of the ‘active’ courtyards, with its large outdoor chess set in the foreground.


buildings will be visually stunning.” By the project’s completion, the gardens will


be fully landscaped.


SLOPING SITE Mike Trigg said: “The ground slopes by about eight metres front to back, so the linked bridge between the two areas is stepped, as well as being covered, to protect against the elements.” Good catering is clearly an important


element in such a new inpatient facility. Mike Trigg explained: “The food will be brought onto the wards from the main kitchen via electric tugs with trailers attached. The ‘tugs’ will also remove and deliver items like dirty laundry. There is a rear service entry to each ward, while each has its own kitchen servery area. Food is re-heated for serving in the communal areas, but the new unit also incorporates a beverage bay in the centre that service-users can get hot and cold drinks and snacks from.”


SERVICE-USER INPUT Jacky Vincent added: “Getting the physical design just right, so that it perfectly complements the surroundings, has been a long journey, with service-user and carer input throughout. We worked with key stakeholder groups and clinicians from day one to get feedback on what they thought would work well – an approach we have used on a number of sites for the past three years. On first joining the project, I also visited other new-build acute mental health units, to get different perspectives on what stood out and worked well.” Mike Trigg said: “I get the sense here that


the Trust is achieving what it wants – a really therapeutic environment in which service-users will get whatever they need to help them recover.”


Discussing some of the intricacies of the multi-disciplinary project, he added: “We have had regular meetings with the Trust’s project team, the various stakeholder groups, and the architects, throughout. Having commenced construction in January 2013, when we undertook cut and fill to bring up levels, we removed all the existing foundations. “The site is in a heavily wooded area, and


many of the trees are subject to tree preservation orders; this meant fencing off particular trees. The concept of the building is that it should fit into its wooded environment unobtrusively. The service-users will look out onto woodland, helping to create a relaxing feel.”


SITE CHALLENGES With Osborne working to a tight schedule, which required it to hand over both Phases in line with a rigorous programme, I asked Mike Trigg whether there had been any other particular site challenges. “In terms of the existing services” he


explained, “the previous buildings were all bungalows, which we demolished. We had substantial asbestos to deal with. The site’s services distribution had been based around underground tunnels, which all had to be cleared of asbestos. The tunnels would, we believe, have been built in around the 1950s, when there was a central boiler and other plant,


An inpatient bedroom.


One of the light and airy dining areas. THE NETWORK January 2015 17


Courtesy of P+HS Architects/David Churchill


Courtesy of Osborne/David Churchill


Courtesy of P+HS Architects/David Churchill


Courtesy of Osborne/David Churchill


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