Alexandria Health Centre

Mental illness is a significant issue in Australia, affecting one in five people every year. Despite ongoing research into mental health treatments, there is still a pressing need for new models of care in clinical settings that prioritize open communication and de-stigmatization of mental illness. In response to this need, a new mental health facility is being developed in Alexandria, Sydney, with a focus on holistic wellbeing. The facility aims to raise awareness, promote acceptance, offer support, and aid in recovery and healing. To achieve this goal, the project has identified four key design drivers: sound clinical planning; an elevated customer experience; a considered urban response; and embedding a connection to country and Indigenous concepts of wellness. The site is located in Alexandria, an industrial area undergoing significant growth. The project will be one of the first to be built under the area’s new urban regeneration framework, providing the opportunity to set a benchmark for quality urban design outcomes in the neighborhood. Early engagement with Indigenous practitioners has helped to embed Indigenous values and stories into the project, connecting to place and helping to reconnect consumers to country. The building takes inspiration from the bamuru (kangaroo grass), with its soft curves and rich color. The plant provided sustenance for early communities and was integral in the regeneration of native creeks. The project draws metaphorical inspiration from this power of resurfacing knowledge and identity to create wellbeing. The materiality and composition of the façade utilizes natural materials that reference the urban fabric and have been chosen throughout to ensure the building responds to its local context. Creating a sensitive response at the street edge was essential to lower physical and psychological barriers to entry. The building is lifted up above the street to create an inviting and activated ground plane and a respite landscaped zone at the entrance. The ‘bite’ in the floorplate provides the opportunity for relief to the adjacent development and a clear arrival marker to the main entrance – welcoming people into the facility. Levels 01 – 03 contain flexible floorplates for a range of medical center services, with the top three floors of the building containing the mental health facilities cantered around two courtyard spaces. The users will have access to these internal protected landscaped courtyards, open to the sky above at each level, with a special focus on the relationship between indoor and outdoor spaces. The project places functionality, equality, and dignity for all people at the forefront of its design. Soft edges, a strong connection to nature, clear and accessible circulation and warm materiality create an environment that will be calming and comfortable to return to over time – creating a positive experience to embark on their healing journey. Embedded through architecture, this project is committed to exceptional sustainability performance, with a particular focus on reducing built area, passive design strategies, connection to nature, and design for health and wellbeing.