The new purpose designed Mental Health Facilities, which include therapeutic courtyards and gardens, on the Stobhill Hospital campus in north Glasgow, have been handed over to the NHS. The gardens, and wider landscape setting for the new facility, were designed by Austin-Smith:Lord to assist in the treatment of mental health patients at Stobhill.

Austin-Smith:Lord were appointed by hub West Scotland for their partner, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, in November 2016 as landscape architects for the new Stobhill Mental Health Facility. The scope included the delivery of design proposals for the external spaces (courtyards & gardens) for the new Acute Admission Unit (AAU) and Hospital Based Complex Clinical Care Unit (CCC). The building was designed by Keppie Design, and features internal patient courtyards, as a central part of the wider therapeutic facilities on site. The project was constructed by BAM Construction.

Siobhan Vernon, Director of Landscape at Austin-Smith:Lord said, “The patient gardens and courtyards were developed to provide high quality external spaces to encourage outdoor physical activity, create a sense of calm, a place for relaxation and provide seasonal interest. The spaces were designed in close collaboration with the client’s clinical staff, to ensure the outdoor spaces could support and enhance the therapeutic care. The gardens provide a practical environment whilst avoiding the appearance of a clinical setting.

“The design of the gardens and courtyards take cognisance of how they can be enjoyed by the range of patient users. This may be through passive benefit, providing visual interest from within the building’s day spaces or bedrooms or active benefit through encouraging use of the outdoor spaces to enjoy fresh air, daylight or engage with a range of activities. External space has also been provided for the staff.”

The landscape design included consideration of the building’s setting within the Stobhill Campus context and the proximity of the development to listed buildings and the notable landmark B-listed Water Tower.

Note to Editors

Austin-Smith:Lord Ltd. is a multi-disciplinary design practice that provides landscape architecture, architecture, urban design, masterplanning, conservation, planning, sustainability design and interior design services to a wide client base throughout the UK.

Stobhill Acute Mental Health Wards was delivered in partnership with hub West Scotland, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) and Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP). The building was designed by Keppie Design, and main contractors were BAM Construction. Engineers were Baker Hicks and RSP. The project delivers a high quality facility that will enhance the quality of health and social care services in the Glasgow area.

The purpose of the unit will be to provide acute inpatient mental health care, including an assessment and admission function, to a large part of the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde catchment area as a component of the Board’s overall mental health services strategy.