Our specialists in healing architecture are behind the architecture and interiors of the new buildings. The destigmatisation of psychiatric care and its patients has been a key component of the team’s work, which has been guided by the fact that attractive environments encourage consideration for the premises and the people who use them. The two new buildings are linked by a square that will be enjoyed by patients and their relatives, students, and staff. The ground floor boasts a café and spaces for meetings, relaxation, and togetherness.
New psychiatric units at Södra Älvsborg Hospital inaugurated
Nine years after we were commissioned by Västfastigheter and Södra Älvsborg Hospital (SÄS), it’s finally time to open the doors to the adult and paediatric psychiatry units at the hospital area in Borås. The new buildings are part of an investment in the development of psychiatric care at SÄS and accommodate wards for round-the-clock care, outpatient care, and training facilities.
I’m incredibly proud to now be able to stand in front of the buildings together with the entire team and see that we’ve been able to realise many of the thoughts and ideas we had nine years ago.
Cristiana Caira, Lead Architect
The new healthcare building has taken shape around White’s research in the field of healing architecture. The research report “Architecture as medicine” describes how restraints, threats, violence, and sedation are dramatically reduced when the architecture is designed around human needs for safety and security and is connected to nature.* Environments form part of healthcare in SÄS’s new facilities. Wood-clad walls, soft colours, lots of natural light, and beautiful views ensure that time spent in care is more pleasant, which helps to speed up patient recovery times.
In such a long-term project as this, it’s a challenge to fulfil all these great ambitions. Thanks to effective dialogue with a fantastically well-engaged operation and motivated project management, and by always using the latest research to support our decisions, the entire team has been able to deliver a result that we’re very proud of.
Cristiana Caira, Lead Architect
The clinic will take in patients from the whole of the Älvsborg region. In addition to the new units for round-the-clock adult and paediatric psychiatric care, new administrative workplaces will be opened which are needs-driven and adapted to the work in the clinic. The existing building that previously housed psychiatric inpatient care is now home to the psychiatric outpatient unit.
*Healing Architecture: Evidence, Intuition, Dialogue, doctoral thesis by Stefan Lundin, White/Chalmers.
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