University Centre for Psychiatry UMCG, Groningen

University Centre for Psychiatry UMCG, Groningen - a psychiatric hospital as a healing environment

Atelier PRO and Vakwerk Architecten were commissioned to work on a new psychiatric ward for the University Medical Centre Groningen. In addition to healthcare, the building also had to accommodate education and research. Main goal was to minimise the patient’s perception of being hospitalised and to maintain a connection with society, as this improves their recovery. Three principles therefore play a central role in the design: for people to wake up with the sun; to be surrounded by meaningful spaces, and to experience normality as much as possible. Psychiatric care at the heart of society The new University Centre for Psychiatry (UCP) replaces an existing, outdated accommodation from the 1960s, and is part of a larger renovation. The new building consists of a polyclinic comprising therapy and research rooms, and a clinic for the outpatient wards and rooms for in-house patients; both wings are connected by two 'cloister corridors' which surround a green courtyard. The in-house patient rooms, where people tend to stay for longer periods of time, are deliberately located on the city side of the complex - next to the Oosterpark neighbourhood and facing the east, and therefore the sunrise; the polyclinic, where people come for appointments only, is on the opposite side, facing the UMCG's Central Medical Complex. Three design principles: daylight, meaningful space and normality At the UCP, daylight 'follows' the patients throughout the day, in keeping with their natural biorhythm: the patient rooms in the UCP all receive morning light - so as for people to wake up with the sun - the living rooms receive light in the afternoons and evenings, and there is an abundance of natural light in the hallways and corridors. In addition, the centrally located patio houses a spacious courtyard garden, which is visible throughout the entire building ánd accessible to everyone within the UCP. By intelligently combining daylight, pleasant views, abundant greenery, broad window sills, natural materials and balanced colours, the design aims to give a positive impulse to patient’s lives, making for meaningful space. To emphasize the sense of normality, the new UCP doesn’t feel like a typical hospital – windows have curtains and rooms are warmly furnished, and there is even room for family members to stay the night. The new UCP feels less like a psychiatric institution and more like a 'home'. Care and research in a single hospital The building accommodates patient care, but also serves as a hub for research and education. The UMCG wants to offer people with psychiatric disorders the best possible diagnosis and treatment, and in this respect scientific research plays an important role. By combining knowledge development with its clinical implementation, the future of psychiatric patients can be considerably improved. The design of the new UCP therefore facilitates both care and research processes. It is a secure and homely environment for patients, where staff and researchers can simultaneously do their work in a safe and streamlined way.