Woodland View, Irvine

A strong co-design process guided Woodland View, a new build healthcare facility located within a mature woodland setting.

Close to Irvine’s coast, NHS Ayrshire and Arran’s new acute mental health community hospital is a therapeutic environment for patients and staff.

Its focus of delivering inpatient and outpatient mental health services for adults is built into its design.

The creation of Woodland View followed a mental health strategy carried out in 2009 by NHS Ayrshire and Arran.

It found the outdated, inadequate and institutionalised clinical provision spread across several hospital sites.

As a result, the new 206-bed facility forms part of the local authority’s strategy to create the healthiest lives possible for the population.

Certified with a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating, Woodland View minimises utility costs and carbon emissions.

The high levels of daylighting and natural ventilation also make the space feel light, airy and healthy. In short, this day-lighting improves vitamin D absorption and patient wellbeing.

Materials selected were graded by environmental cost and impact on the embodied energy and lifespan of the building.

The external finishes complement the surrounding architecture, such as the brick tones of the Horseshoe building and white rendered walls. This creates cohesion with the original art deco buildings.

The majority of the roofs were designed as single pitched metal standing seam (Kalzip) with varying pitches to create distinctive blocks.

Metal cladding

A feature of red and orange horizontal bands at the main entrance provide shelter from the wind and signal the way in.

The entrance also has large panels in bronze and silver-grey that highlight the important architectural features of the stairs, entrance and cafe.

Other large panels in a variety of colours highlight the individual departments from the outside.