Changing face of modern mental healthcare

Designed by Gilling Dod Architects, and constructed by VINCI Construction for Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, The Curve is located in a prominent position at the heart of the Prestwich Hospital. The £5 million building houses a library, café, lecture halls, education spaces, forum areas, meeting and therapy rooms, and the Trust’s ‘HQ’ and community team bases. More importantly, the new facility is the public face of the Trust, and is designed to be an icon for it, the service, and its values.

The new building forms part of the Trust’s long-term development control plan for the site, and is seen very much as its ‘gateway building’ and focal point, not just into it, but also in and out of its services and recovery pathways. A modest building, it forms a link between the history of this old asylum site and the modern face of mental health services. The use of art was enshrined from day one, with local artists working with service-users to create a real sense of place, identity, and connection, not only with the community, locality, and people, but also with mental health issues and recovery.

Our view at Gilling Dod is that The Curve represents the changing face of modern mental health services, embodying the ‘holistic’ approach to recovery pathways and mental wellbeing. More than the sum of its parts, the design reflects a philosophy of long-term care based around accessible, positive, and meaningful community engagement. With the patient experience, individual need, and access at its heart, the design is intentionally simple and clear. It provides a forum for interaction, and encourages relationships formed in informal spaces.