Behavioral & Mental Health
New Methods in Behavioral and Mental Health Care Design
Our understanding of mental and behavioral health has grown exponentially in the past decade. With the larger scope of knowledge in the field, patient needs are better understood and previously unknown needs have been revealed. As a result, new methods are required to effectively design world-class care environments on time and on budget.
With over seven million square feet of behavioral health space experience, we understand the intricacies of behavioral health planning, design and construction. Behavioral and mental health is on a spectrum of varying severity and patient needs, and we are uniquely positioned to design facilities across that continuum, understanding design’s purpose and priority at each step. Our behavioral health experts are actively engaged in every phase of the project from programming through construction administration and are integrally involved in the development of innovative mechanical/electrical/plumbing engineering and security solutions that support the unique needs of patients, staff and visitors. Our portfolio of award-winning design work includes acute and forensic psychiatric hospitals, healthcare within correctional settings, less acute residential treatment facilities, outpatient care, addiction treatment centers, and more.
Evidence and Experience: A Diverse Approach
We take a diverse approach to each facility because a singular, “one-size-fits-all” approach to designing for behavioral and mental health does not meet each person’s needs. We strive to build empathy to better understand how the environment impacts each patient who seeks care. Evidence-based design principles, post-occupancy evaluations and research on the efficacy of our designs at every scale inform each design endeavor and ensures our design intellect grows and evolves in tandem with the field.
We incorporate experience-based criteria and address key factors prevalent to the lives of patients, such as their need for privacy, safety, control of their environment, easy orientation, natural light, the minimization of anxiety, and opportunities for social interaction. We are dedicated to continued growth and learning in the pursuit of designing facilities that help people suffering from mental illness, addiction or behavioral disorders wherever they are along their healing journey by providing better solutions that result in better outcomes for patients and our clients.
