Woodland View, Ayrshire Central Hospital

The problem

An opportunity to bring services together and encourage community interaction, provide state of the art flexible accommodation for adults with a range of conditions and integrate older peoples’ mental and physical health services.

Who was involved

NHS Ayrshire & Arran

Architect: IBI Group

Project outcome

Woodland View is an adult acute mental health and community facility located in Irvine, Scotland. The 206-bed new build hospital is focused on delivering inpatient and outpatient mental health services for adults, including: rehabilitation, continuing care, addictions, forensics, and intensive psychiatric care.

The hospital’s design also provides organic and functional services for elderly mental health, specifically dementia care, and incorporates research by the Dementia Services Development Centre at Stirling University.

Supportive design features comprise: corridor seating areas overlooking beautiful landscaped gardens, ‘wander loops’, dementia friendly signage and a considered colour, artwork and wayfinding strategy to help trigger service user memories.

The non-institutional design, inspired by the surrounding coastal nature, supports the service user journey to recovery; building confidence, offering choice and paving the way for their transition home and into the community.

Planned around service user and staff well-being the building is safe, spacious and sustainable. Full of natural light, the design promotes excellent observation inside and out, offers gender flexible wards that maintain privacy and dignity, and encompasses landscaped gardens that promote exercise, rehabilitation, contemplation and recovery.

Woodland View has been awarded: Building Better Healthcare: Best Mental Health Development 2016, European Healthcare Design Mental Health Award 2017.

Quote from the project

“Woodland View is a tremendous facility for the people of Ayrshire. Not only does it provide state-of-the-art surroundings for patients, staff and service-users, it also offers a place for the local community to enjoy. The facility will provide a safe and caring environment for generations to come.”

John Scott, Programme Director for Woodland View

“Thanks to the commitment and vision of our staff and construction and design partners, we have ensured that Woodland View is truly a first class building fit for the future. Our aim throughout the entire process was to provide a therapeutic and healing environment where not only patients but visitors, staff and the local community could enjoy their surroundings. We believe that Woodland View has delivered.”

John Wright, Director for Corporate Support Services

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