Bluebird
This flagship building will house a completely new secure psychiatric service for 20 patients aged 12 to 18, on the wooded grounds of a Victorian hospital. The challenge is to create a diverse and therapeutic environment which respects young peoples’ dignity and raises self-esteem, but simultaneously meets extremely stringent security and functional criteria.
Grontmij worked in very close collaboration with a user group of staff from different disciplines to develop designs which balance richness with safety. A hierarchy of spaces accommodate sports and informal recreation, socialising, chill-out, educational and creative activities. Building and landscape levels have been carefully set to mitigate the impact of the security fence on views from bedrooms.