We are pleased to share that our Sycamore unit at Northgate Park Hospital received the Mental Health Project Award at the International Academy of Design & Health awards in Milan! This is the first of what he hope to be many awards for this real flagship development.

This accolade recognises a new mental health facility that balances the need for safety and security in conjunction with being a therapeutic and humane environment that supports service-users during their care journey.

As a ‘village campus’, Sycamore has been built to accommodate lots of different indoor and outdoor facilities to create engagement and relaxation spaces for patients. The outdoor space, located in the centre of the building, is separated into a ‘passive zone’ for relaxing and quiet outdoor activities, and an ‘active zone’ for those who want a more energetic experience.

The building encircles this outdoor space, housing 6 wards with 72 beds, which makes a secure perimeter without the need for high fences. Bedrooms are arranged to face outwards, with views to the surrounding woodland, letting in lots of daylight and refreshing the space. Each ward has its own inner courtyard and a shared activity space between each ward pair. This presents more opportunities and choice for patients to experience outdoor spaces during their stay.

Not only has the Sycamore Unit won this international mental Health Project Award, but it is also in the running for Project of the Year – New Build UK and for Outside Space of the Year!

The nominations and awards are a testament to how incredibly hard our Capital team and partners worked bringing this building to life. Congratulations to all involved for their fantastic work!