Unique Care for a Unique Community

Prince Edward Island sits just off Canada’s Atlantic coast, small in scale but home to the country’s highest population density and a vibrant, storied culture. This unique landscape called for a new kind of care environment, one that expands access while reshaping how care is delivered and experienced. The Hillsborough Acute Mental Health and Life Skills Centre and Transitional Housing facility replaces aging infrastructure with an integrated campus supporting inpatient care, addiction recovery and community-based programs. Located along the Hillsborough River, the project strengthens connections between health care, landscape and community, reflecting the province’s commitment to accessible and dignified mental health services.

Design Rooted in Care, Community and Landscape

The design recognizes mental health care as an important part of society, moving away from the institutional model of mental health care and replacing it with a community campus defined by human scale, access to nature and clear organization. A central public spine anchors the facility, while residential “fingers” extend toward the Hillsborough River — an important fixture in the area’s Indigenous and economic history — forming courtyards that bring daylight, privacy and safe freedom of movement into patient spaces.  

Drawing from maritime vernacular, including simple sloped forms and layered volumes, the architecture balances resilience with warmth, shaping environments that support recovery through autonomy, choice and connection.

Key design features:

• A 64-bed acute care facility organized into four 16-bed “houses,” each further divisible to address diverse acuities
• Residential-scale transitional housing supporting addiction recovery and alternate levels of care
• A central public spine linking clinical, social and community spaces
• Courtyards and river-facing views that maximize daylight and restorative environments
• Multipurpose amenities including a gymnasium, worship space and public plaza

Supporting Recovery Through Environment and Experience

The Hillsborough campus repositions mental health care as a community-centered experience, where architecture supports healing through dignity, visibility and connection to place. By integrating clinical services with natural systems and shared civic space, the project establishes a model for mental health and addiction care grounded in compassion, resilience, long-term well-being and preparation for post-treatment life.