The Brook is a new specialist inpatient facility at Langdon Hospital, designed to provide dignified care for adults with a learning disability and/or autism whose complex needs cannot be met in mainstream services.
The design supports recovery by creating an environment that feels safe and familiar and acknowledges the therapeutic power of strong connections with nature. Co‑production brought lived experience into every decision from spatial zoning and flow to interior detail, ensuring the building actively supports regulation, choice and independence.
Visual and physical links to the outdoors are particularly important to people with learning disability and/or autism needs, for whom the ability to ‘escape’ from an overwhelming environment can be key to effective de-escalation and sensory regulation. The design therefore arranges the internal spaces around a series of generous gardens, which offer a variety of sensory experiences and create a sense of openness throughout.
The design aligns with the clinical strategy to gently encourage a gradual transition from private space into communal areas and aid participation in therapeutic activities. Thresholds and spatial transitions, which this patient group can find challenging, are carefully addressed. Strategically-placed nooks and window seats allow patients to pause and move between spaces at their own pace.
Patient accommodation takes the form of 10 ‘flatlets’, each containing a living/dining space, bedroom, ensuite and courtyard garden. This enhanced level of private space reflects a domestic setting and offers greater independence. The kitchenettes are housed in lockable alcoves, allowing tailored access (subject to risk management) without compromising equality of provision. This approach allows the space to adapt to the patient’s needs as they recover without them having to move rooms, which can be disruptive and unsettling.
The building’s gentle, almost domestic appearance is intended to feel welcoming and familiar. Simple forms and warm materials give the building a human scale, with the pitched roofs and brickwork deliberately intended to convey a homely aesthetic to put people at ease.
Designing for neurodiversity was at the forefront of this project. Sensory‑informed design principles are embedded throughout to produce spaces that reduce anxiety and support sensory and emotional regulation. Circadian lighting supports sleep-wake cycles while colour-change lighting allows adaptation to individual mood. Acoustic treatments, furniture choices, a harmonised colour palette and the avoidance of visual ‘clutter’ reduce cognitive load and known triggers for distress in mental health settings.
Staff wellbeing was prioritised through restorative staff areas, intuitive layouts, and acoustic design that reduces stress and burnout. We designed secondary, parallel circulation routes to offer staff discreet movement options and emergency access without disruption to other areas of the facility.
Natural lighting and ventilation are maximised to enhance occupant wellbeing and lower energy consumption. The north-east orientation of patient spaces minimises glare or fluctuations in light and temperature, which can be problematic for people with sensory processing differences. Renewable energy is supplied via a low-carbon air-source heat pump system and photovoltaic panels. The extensive landscaping scheme includes meadows, orchards and native planting to enhance biodiversity and ecological value.
