Respite Pavilion
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Outdoor pavilion composed of three concrete planes
Russell Beard Download Original
Public outdoor pavilion situated within the grounds of the new NHS Acute Mental Health and North Ayrshire Community Hospital
Access to outdoor environments, and the encouragement of an active lifestyle, plays an important role in relation to mental illness and well-being. Commissioned as part of the Arts Strategy for the new Acute Mental Health and North Ayrshire Community Hospital campus, our Respite Pavilion provides an important place of outdoor relaxation; encouraging patients, staff and relatives to escape the wards and waiting rooms of the hospital for the open landscape of the wider campus.
Three rectangular planes, each with a circular aperture, intersect to form a pavilion arranged around a stand of birch trees. The pavilion frames views and creates a more hospitable outdoor micro-climate. Seating is loosely dispersed, happily accommodating occupation by groups and individuals.
The construction explores how the earth and geology of an area can help create a meaningful sense of place, rooting it in a wider landscape context. A ground plane defines the extent of the intervention and is formed from red-toned self-binding sands and gravels. Upon this, the structure is formed from board-marked concrete, with iron-oxide pigmentation to create an earthly affinity with the geology of the wider Ayrshire region.
Data
- Begun: May 2016
- Completed: Sep 2016
- Floor area: 69m2
- Sectors: Healthcare, Arts and culture, Public realm
- Total cost: £36,000
- Funding: NHS Ayrshire and Arran
- Procurement: Bespoke
- Address: North Ayrshire Community Hospital, Irvine, KA12 8SS, United Kingdom
Professional Team 
- Architect: Graeme Massie Architects
- Client: NHS Ayrshire and Arran
- Structural engineer: SF Structures
- Cost consultant: AECOM
Suppliers
- Main Contractor : DJ Sparham