Step Exhibitions
Wearmouth View at Monkwearmouth Hospital – Argon Health
Nominee Information
The external environment was intrinsically linked and key to the design from the outset. Theories included:
- Response to widely acknowledged evidence of positive mental health outcomes brought through outdoor space, including reduced treatment length. A clear brief was provided for a high quality landscape. Great importance was placed on the initial sketch design being delivered on site in its entirety, confirming the value placed on better landscape by the Developer.
- A dramatic enhancement over the previous unpleasant outdoor space was key; improving the dreary and institutional aspect/sanatorium feel. The new landscaped areas deliver a welcoming face to mental health providing a huge benefit for staff morale and well-being; dramatically enhancing service-user experience.
- Establishing traffic-free, pedestrian/cyclist movement and provision of level access allowing full accessibility from Newcastle Road, to resolve previous challenges to staff and service-users.
- Re-location of the car park removed cars from the front of the building enabling creation of the piazza. Views of the piazza from within the building provide a soothing outlook for staff/service-users.
- A sustainable outdoor space: ease of maintenance and low dependency on watering in line with best practice and climate emergency.
- Many layers of engagement through regular meetings with clinical staff, property, estates, and FM teams, and local stakeholders, informed design of the outdoor spaces; ensuring they would be fit for the vulnerable community they would serve.
The landscape architect worked diligently with the design team/Contractor/Trust to deliver the ambitions of the Developer and aspirations of the staff. The creation of c.2,640m² of greenspace (an increase of 225%), through inclusion of soft landscaped areas, raingardens and free drainage pavement surfaces also led to biodiversity improvements.
The development by its very nature and use promotes community health, wellbeing and cohesion. The development enables CNTW to provide care fit for the future through a welcoming ‘front-door’, helping to deliver the best outcomes for service-users and facilitating a high level of care for those living with mental health challenges. Incorporation of outside space and the café make the area accessible to the public and further encourage people to visit and seek treatment.
The outdoor spaces provide a low maintenance garden with year round interest; attractive to wildlife throughout the seasons. The spaces change seasonally and textured plants and grasses incorporated within the planting create movement in light winds. The open, inclusive landscape approach is a step change from previous approaches on site; integrating the hospital into the community and helping de-stigmatise mental health needs through activity/relaxation/social opportunity.
The outdoor spaces provide complementary expansion of therapeutic programmes, providing places for healing in partnership with nature, allowing clinicians to involve children in bulb planting/garden maintenance, and accompanied access for inpatient/outpatients to landscaped spaces, improving treatment through access to sunshine/blue sky/fresh air/ birdsong within safe, calming outdoor environments. Passive surveillance adds to service-user safety/care.
The space contributes to staff and service-user wellbeing, providing visual and physical access to external spaces that are as attractive as they are accessible.
