The Mental Health and Addictions Centre (MHAC), located in St. John’s, is a new six-storey, 102-bed hub for mental health and addictions care in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, along with a 60-room hostel. The facility was designed and developed for the Province and local health authority, NL Health Services, by the Avalon Healthcare Partnership: a Public Private Partnership composed of Plenary Americas, Marco/Cahill Mental Health Partnership (B+H served as prime consultant) and Cahill FM.

Receiving mental health and addictions care has historically been stigmatized. MHAC, however, realizes the Province’s vision for a contemporary care facility. With exterior and interior architecture by B+H Architects in partnership with John Hearn Architects, MHAC is designed to reduce stigma, centre the patient experience, improve access to services, and integrate patient families and communities into care.

The new 240,000 sq-ft facility—an addition to the existing Health Sciences Centre (HSC) campus in St. John’s—marks a major expansion of mental health and addictions services for the province. These include two acute care units for adults, a forensic care unit, a geriatric unit, a short-stay unit, and an inpatient program dedicated to eating disorders. Inpatient amenities and services include a therapeutic mall with services such as physiotherapy, fitness studio, art and music therapy program, horticultural suite, hair salon, clothing boutique, library, as well as indoor and outdoor contemplation spaces, among others. It includes clinical spaces to provide for both inpatient and outpatient services.

Reducing stigma

Rather than being a place of isolation or shame, MHAC is designed to be a welcoming, dignified care facility that prioritizes and centres the patient experience. While this is most apparent in interior spaces, it is further reflected in the building’s plan and form. MHAC consists of dual wings, composed in a C-shape, with a series of tiered terraces cascading toward the building’s entrance near a major arterial road. By reducing the scale of the building near its entrance, MHAC consciously considers a patient’s arrival sequence with a form that is welcoming, rather than intimidating.

The recurring use of colour further communicates optimism, warmth, and approachability. Most notable are bands of colourful vertical stripes adorning the building’s metal façade. (MHAC’s exterior is primarily constructed of aluminum and steel panelling, wrapped on the lower level with durable masonry.) Inside, colours serve important wayfinding functions while also underlining the building’s connection to the local context by referencing the province’s brightly coloured Saltbox houses.

Accessible client-centred patient care & community integration

Rather than isolating patients from their families and communities, MHAC enables their integration into the patient care and recovery process. A 60-room on-site hostel can accommodate families for overnight and extended visits, while communal spaces designed for gathering are integrated throughout. Patient rooms can even temporarily accommodate family members in critical situations.

Outpatient treatment services are designed to improve accessibility for patients and families. These include consultation and exam spaces, dentistry facilities, as well as ECT and TMS treatment spaces, among others.

Access to the outdoors

Adhering to evidence-based design, MHAC prioritizes access to nature and the outdoors as pillars of care. Patient terraces are found on the building’s upper levels, while courtyards are located at the ground level. These spaces include therapy gardens. Snowmelt systems improve year-round access to these exterior terraces. Terraces and courtyards feature a mix of hard and soft landscaping elements. Enclosure walls, consistent with the building’s architectural style, create a secure, comfortable, and destigmatized patient environment.

The building’s architecture embraces and adapts to its site, enhancing public spaces and surrounding landscapes. The site plan, which connects MHAC to an existing campus spine and amenity space, improves campus access to the neighbouring wetlands. Staff, families, and select patients can now conveniently access nearby forested walking paths.

The design and development process carefully considered and mitigated MHAC’s impact on the wetlands while undertaking measures to mitigate and prevent flooding. The building’s massing towards Warners Road minimizes its footprint on the wetlands, creating a green buffer between the facility and the natural area. A comprehensive stormwater management system ensures that MHAC is not susceptible to flooding.

Interior spaces also prioritize a connection to the outdoors. Upper-level terraces offer expansive views of the surroundings, while the building’s angled and tiered form ensures ample daylighting in patient rooms. The use of natural materials, such as wood, aligns with biophilic design principles to enhance the overall patient experience.