Stephen Watson, Principal, Architecture, at Hassell, discusses the thinking and feedback that informed the design of the 64-bedded Acute Mental Health Unit in Ipswich, Queensland, in Australia, which was Highly Commended in the Project of the Year – New Build International category at the 2024 Design in Mental Health Awards in June. The project delivers the first stage of an ambitious 15-year masterplan to redevelop and expand the Ipswich Hospital campus.
The new Acute Mental Health Unit in Ipswich, Queensland, in Australia, designed by Hassell, builds on a foundation of healing to create an environment that nurtures wellbeing and mindfulness. The architecture, interior design, and landscape work together to establish a holistic setting of calm to restore dignity to the healing journey, normalise mental healthcare in the community, and deliver a new benchmark for recovery-orientated care in Australia.
An overarching philosophy around 'designing for people' has shaped both the process and the outcomes of this project. The design focus has been on caring for people, service-users, their loved ones, and those people providing the care, to create an environment that supports the network around each person, and enables care for the 'whole person'. The architecture, landscape architecture, and interior design, contribute to positive health outcomes by creating an environment for healing, improving health outcomes, supporting a workforce of carers, and inviting families to partake in the recovery process.
Inside the new 64-bedded multi-storey facility, bedrooms, therapy spaces, social areas, and gardens combine in a way reminiscent of a residential setting to assist in normalising and integrating mental healthcare in the community, while establishing a direct link to Ipswich Hospital's clinical campus.
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