St. John's Therapy Centre

The centre brings together community-based therapy services for accident and stroke victims, a Mental Health unit for drugs and alcohol dependent patients and two GP practices.

The architects’ objective was to change peoples’ perception about the building type and create a humane and intimate atmosphere despite the centre’s scale. A Spanish lacquered timber panel was chosen for the external cladding and the many small consultation rooms are placed to prevent visual repetition.

The building is planned on a 1.2m module, with typical rooms planned on 2.4, 3.6 and 4.8m bays. Louvers on east and west elevations are fabricated from the same cladding material and further suppress repetition reading heavily in the façade.

Public and patient access is restricted to the ground and first floor, where the centre is organised with a front-of-house (receptions, waiting areas, meeting rooms and gymnasium) and back-of-house (offices and laboratories) with clinical accommodation between.

Two courtyards and the side streets permit a private aspect for a high proportion of clinical rooms. Internal circulation is organised around these courtyards, giving the centre good daylight and helping visitors to navigate the building.