Peace and space

The new De Braamberg regional mental healthcare centre stands at a green location near the Rijnstate hospital. The key concepts of the design are peace and space. The atmosphere and structure of the building give a feeling of being welcome.

The design is based on a great degree of flexibility. The building consists of a front and rear house connected by a broad main entrance. This set-up renders it possible to cluster functions and separate patient flows and facilitates orientation and accessibility. The front house meets the walk-in function for individual treatment purposes and the rear house has space for therapy rooms, two open wards and a closed ward.

To emphasise the open nature and to provide all spaces with ample daylight, the building is made of warm brown brickwork, with a lot of glass in aluminium window frames. The materials used are low-maintenance and retain their natural, warm colours. The interior also has a colourful feel with points of contact with a recognisable design. Concrete core activation and heat and cold storage make the building comfortable and environmentally friendly.

From the perspective of urban design, the building stands as an independent object in its green environment. Parking space is partly located under the building and partly hidden between the building and the edge of the woods, rendering the vehicles minimally visible from the surrounding landscape.