The UTHealth Behavioral Sciences Center will be making history in Houston.
The facility will be the first public mental health hospital constructed in more than three decades, and will be the largest of its kind in the United States.
UTHealth enlisted the help of architecture firm Perkins and Will to design the mental health facility near the Texas Medical Center.
The future building will “consist of two buildings connected by a glazed bridge, surrounded by a tranquil green space,” as reported by Jillian Goltzman at Innovation Map.
The facility will be an educational hospital, where future physicians and specialists will be trained. Not only will the facility provide mental healthcare, but substance use intervention, treatment and medical care via integrated treatment programs, according to Innovation Map.
The infrastructure of the new building is being carefully crafted to assist with patient care. Light and sound were both important considerations in the development of the building.
The ultimate goal is to create a “peaceful environment for patients and staff.” The facility will have tunable light fixtures that adjust to the time of day, as well as noise reduction coefficient acoustics to reduce noise impact.
To help transition patients back into everyday life, the facility will include a therapy mall, that “can serve as a salon, boutique, fitness center, movie night spot, or music therapy space.”
The UTHealth Behavioral Sciences Center will be opening its doors in late 2021, and will include 264 inpatient beds.
