In Tampere, Finland, a psychiatric clinic at Tampere University Hospital showcases a patient-focused design by C.F. Møller Architects in collaboration with Finnish studio ARCO Architecture Company.
The 30,000-sm (roughly 322,910-sf) Tampere Psychiatric Clinic is a self-contained extension of Tampere University Hospital, located at the hospital’s outer edge and adjacent to a surrounding nature area. The clinic connects with the hospital’s infrastructure while keeping its own identity and privacy.
The project’s design focuses on both patients’ healing process and the staff’s work environment. Private, public, and social spaces—both indoor and outdoor—serve the psychiatric patients’ desire and ability to adapt to everyday life in the outside world.
The clinic’s three U-shaped care buildings face the surrounding natural environment. Together with an administration and activities building, the care buildings form a ring enclosing a shared courtyard, which serves as a communal hub. Activities, visits, and socializing center on the safe and secluded inner courtyard. The layout promotes a sense of community while also respecting each patient’s need for solitude and personal space.
With an understanding of nature as integral to the healing process, the landscaping design by Rambøll aims to create a calming, therapeutic atmosphere. Each building has direct access to outdoor spaces, such as balconies and secluded courtyards. In addition, the buildings’ height maintains a human scale, encouraging connections with the environment.