2024-11-23T21:19:03-05:00 https://archinect.com/news/article/150304656/a-children-s-mental-health-facility-in-melbourne-designed-for-a-new-health-care-typology Nathaniel Bahadursingh 2022-03-29T14:58:00-04:00 >2022-03-29T15:05:47-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/fb/fb00fbf516978f9b83b988cbe3a3caad.jpeg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><em><p>Kerstin Thompson Architects and Bloxas have &ldquo;invented&rdquo; a new health care typology in their design for a children&rsquo;s mental health facility in Melbourne&rsquo;s north. The $7.3 million Statewide Child and Family Centre in Macleod will provide mental health services for children aged up to 11 who have experienced negative or traumatic events.</p></em><br /><br /><p>According to&nbsp;<a href="https://archinect.com/firms/cover/27771/kerstin-thompson-architects" target="_blank">Kerstin Thompson</a> and Bloxas principal Anthony Clarke, their design is based on the innovative care model developed by clinicians at Melbourne&rsquo;s Austin Health. The main challenge for the architects was creating both a residential atmosphere and environment where children felt they have instrumentality and choice. They also wanted to break down the dichotomous patient-clinical dynamic of the setting. The team, thus, explored a number of different types of children&rsquo;s spaces, such as childcare centers, children's libraries, and <a href="https://archinect.com/news/tag/255994/maggie-s-centre" target="_blank">Maggie's Centers</a>, which provide support for cancer patients.&nbsp;</p> <p>Specific features in this new type of facility include the separation of therapy-focused areas from other spaces reserved for other activities, such as play areas, for the purpose of ridding confusion between positive and negative spatial association. Transition zones were also added, allowing individual decision-making to occur. In addition, garden spaces are present in all of the key spa...</p>