Mental Health Lounge The Lighthouse

Located adjacent to the Acute Medical Unit within Hillingdon Hospital, The Lighthouse provides a dedicated mental health assessment centre for adults presenting to A&E in crisis. Developed in collaboration with The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL), the facility offers a calm, therapeutic alternative to the busy emergency department, enabling patients to receive specialist assessment and support in an environment designed around dignity, privacy and wellbeing.

OA transformed an existing hospital space into a purpose-designed mental health environment that balances clinical functionality with a welcoming, non-institutional character. Individual assessment rooms provide privacy and acoustic separation, supported by dedicated shower and bathroom facilities, comfortable waiting areas and carefully considered staff accommodation. Natural materials, soft colour palettes and integrated artwork were selected throughout to reduce anxiety and create a reassuring atmosphere, recognising the significant role that the built environment can play in supporting recovery and improving patient experience.

The project forms part of a wider shift towards more integrated mental health care, helping to reduce pressure on emergency departments while ensuring patients are seen by specialist mental health professionals as quickly as possible. By providing an appropriate therapeutic setting for assessment and early intervention, The Lighthouse supports improved clinical outcomes and more effective onward care, demonstrating how thoughtful design can contribute directly to better healthcare delivery.