Working together, celebrating successes and bringing nature in.
What do these concepts all have in common?
They’re the themes on which our latest work for the NHS Mental Health Unit in North Manchester is based on.
This project is all about interpretation, not wayfinding.
At North View, our brief was to create a positive welcome that helps boost wellbeing, side stepping the typical “medical institution” feel.
Medical buildings can too often feel impersonal and uninspiring, with overwhelming (and sometimes conflicting) wayfinding signage. It’s entirely understandable in complex environments, but not inevitable.
The new unit, designed by architect Gilling Dod, is a breath of fresh air. With entranceway gardens designed by landscape architect Iteriad, known for its focus on outdoor spaces for mental healing, mindfulness and wellbeing, there has been plenty of design cues to take inspiration from.
We’ve drawn up a series of wall graphics that reinforce messages of “space to bloom”, “space to grow” and “space to thrive”, each represented by a different colour, and identified which touch points on the user’s journey these themes will be highlighted. In particular we’ve incorporated:
- A hexagonal shape which features in the building’s logo, and
- Eye catching, ribbon-like structures which form part of the garden scheme
Our scheme intentionally limits the number of signs, instead encouraging intuitive wayfinding with the wall graphics at key touch points like the welcome area and café area. And that’s even more important in a mental health unit, where service users are in particular need of a calm and restorative environment.
We’re focused on bringing people in and telling the story of the place. Our wall graphics replicate the organic and natural forms within the entranceway and key routes, reinforcing concepts of blooming, growing and thriving. The aim is to promote a sense of calm and positive thinking while gently nudging the user on.
Sue Manley, Strategy Director.
The finished scheme provides eye catching, calming graphics which draw the user in, telling the journey of North View to this new building. It even incorporates an area of hexagonal frames – empty for now at least – within which service users’ art can be displayed.
We have to say, it has been extremely rewarding.
