Thoughtful ward design enhances recovery

Project: University Centre for Psychiatry UMCG
Award: Gold, Sports & Wellness Interiors - Hospitals & Clinics, 2024
Location: Groningen, Netherlands
Design Practice: Atelier PRO architects & Vakwerk architecten
Client: Universitair Medisch Centrum Groningen

Atelier PRO and Vakwerk Architecten’s new psychiatric ward for the University Medical Centre Groningen is designed to minimise the patient’s perception of being hospitalised and to maintain a connection with society, as this improves recovery. 

"Uplifting in spirit and purpose, this project demonstrates how thoughtful design can enhance recovery and well-being in a challenging environment", the judges said.

They praised the way in which the project "emits peacefulness and tranquility, reflecting a deep empathy for vulnerable patients". 

It replaces outdated accommodation from the 1960s and is part of a larger renovation. The new building consists of a polyclinic comprising therapy and research rooms, and a clinic for the outpatient wards and rooms for in-house patients; both wings are connected by two 'cloister corridors' which surround a green courtyard.

Three principles play a central role in the design: for people to wake up with the sun; to be surrounded by meaningful spaces, and to experience normality as much as possible.

Design highlights

At the UCP, daylight 'follows' the patients throughout the day, in keeping with their natural biorhythm. The patient rooms in the UCP all receive morning light, allowing people to wake up with the sun, while the living rooms receive light in the afternoons and evenings. There is also an abundance of natural light in the hallways and corridors. 

The judges said: "Aligning the building’s orientation with natural light to support patients' biorhythms is an intelligent and humane approach. By allowing patients to wake up with the sun, and ensuring living spaces receive afternoon and evening light, the design effectively fosters a sense of normalcy and well-being."

The centrally located patio houses a spacious courtyard garden, which is visible throughout the entire building ánd accessible to everyone within the UCP. By intelligently combining daylight, pleasant views, abundant greenery, broad windowsills, natural materials and balanced colours, the design aims to give a positive impulse to patient’s lives, making for meaningful space. To emphasize the sense of normality, the new UCP doesn’t feel like a typical hospital – windows have curtains and rooms are warmly furnished, and there is even room for family members to stay the night. The new UCP feels less like a psychiatric institution and more like a 'home'.

The judges said: "It’s refreshing to see a healthcare facility take an abstract approach to representing nature, steering away from the typical use of organic designs like floral patterns. Instead, they’ve cleverly incorporated nature's colours into the interiors, creating a subtle yet powerful connection to the natural world."

Photo credit: Eva Bloem, Egbert de Boer