The building rejuvenates an existing NHS site through a completely new-build project. Although respectful of local character, it has a distinct presence in the streetscape, using large areas of glazing to invite views in. The use of contemporary materials and interesting forms to break up the street frontages sends out a positive signal to communities, while the scale is befitting of civic facilities.
The aim of the building was to create non-institutionalised facilities that feel comfortable to approach and easy to navigate. Good wayfinding is based on rational space planning and maximum transparency in shared areas, with the use of a triple-height void to draw daylight into the heart of the plan.
Adjacencies between clinical areas contained within a beautifully detailed timber box promote efficiencies between service providers, reducing travelling time for both staff and patients.
The initial brief was simply to replace an existing health centre, but collaboration at an early stage in the design process led to the idea of incorporating a council-run nursery school into the project.The team were thus able to captialise on a larger, more prominent site on the corner ofSandy Road and Dumbarton Road, where the childcare facility had been operating fromtemporary accommodation. The design team has dealt innovatively with the co-location of spaces for distinct user groups, with a garden level nursery below three floors of integrated community healthcare facilities. The entrance to the nursery is tucked away behind the building, away from the bustle of the street, under a projecting canopy that also provides sheltered outdoor space for the children.
A second phase of development, again designed by Gareth Hoskins Architects went on site in September 2007. The £2.6m project extends the building along Sandy Road, providing new accommodation for GPs, mental health services and children's health services.
