Meeting the Silent Epidemic

The new Behavioural Health Outpatient Research and Treatment Facility has been designed to strengthen mental healthcare capabilities and meet growing demands in the Seattle region. The 10-storey facility meets the needs of three distinct populations: teenagers, those in crisis, and adults in ongoing treatment. The Crisis Stabilization Unit cares for patients around the clock and diverts patients from the emergency room. The early psychosis program provides mental health care for teenagers in a discrete and safe setting. Most of the organization’s space is dedicated to outpatient care and research and includes space to connect with community stakeholders as well. Each population has its own separate entrance to guarantee patient discretion and comfort. Our design team consulted the client’s leadership group, made up of former patients and members of the local homeless community, to ensure the new care facility meets patient needs.  

The space is intentionally designed to destigmatize mental health care through its non-clinical environment, offering a strong connection to the natural world, with daylight accessible throughout much of the building. This connection with the surrounding environment is more than aesthetic — sustainability is integrated into each element of the development’s design.

Designed to achieve net-zero energy, the structure mixes mass timber and recycled steel, reducing pollution while speeding construction and allowing for more optimal use of space. The design also includes natural ventilation, a natural light shaft at its centre, and solar panels on the roof. Because resiliency against natural disasters is critical on the North American West Coast, the new care facility is designed to withstand earthquakes and wildfires ensuring that it can serve the community for years to come.