Antelope House, Adult Mental Health Unit (AMHU)

Antelope House is an Adult Mental Health Unit in Southampton providing 50 male and female acute beds, a high dependency unit and a Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). Procured through the Southwest Hampshire Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) framework, the unit replaced a dated 1960s facility with poor energy performance and significant safety issues for service users.

Hampshire Partnership NHS Trust (HPT) provides Adult Mental Health Services to Southampton, East Hants, and the surrounding area.  

The Trust was keen to develop a scheme based on modern principles of mental health delivery. The key objectives were to promote recovery and rehabilitation, whilst maximising the quality of life for people with mental health problems.

Working closely with staff and service users four key principles were agreed at the out set of the design.

Firstly, the building needed to be designed from the perspective of the service user, with the bedroom as the starting point. This space is crucial, secure, and personal, offering users a place to spend time alone when necessary.

The second principle focuses on the journey from that place of safety through ward areas into therapy space and then to further shared leisure facilities.  The idea being to give purpose and structure to the day, and introduce the notion of routine and activity as a principle.

The space was designed for the ‘living room’ to be the main focus of activity. The spaces are laid out to give a variation of environments - some larger and busier, others more private and intimate.  

This helped capture the third core design principle of spatial variety; users thereby have a choice of where to go to depending upon what’s happening, or their mood.

Lastly, the external environment was recognised as a key factor, with the building designed around a series of courtyards and gardens. This layout enhances views of the natural landscape and offers activity areas for users throughout the day.