The new Department of Forensic Psychiatry is due for completion in 2021 and consists of four wards. Each ward has approximately 32 patient rooms, and the units are concentrated around three inner courtyards. Two courtyards where patients can go outside and exercise or relax, and one reserved for the staff. Henrik Richter Danielsen says that in the design, the architects have made the most of the sloping terrain.
“The plot is highly terraced. There is a 12-metre height difference from the highest to the lowest point. By staggering the units height-wise, we’ve ensured that all the rooms have a view. The old department of forensic psychiatry consisted of a building surrounded by a four-metre high wall, which meant that patients were looking straight into a wall,” he explains, adding:
“Healing architecture is about giving patients the feeling of not being cut off from the outside world. Which is why the units feature a large window with a window seat, from where patients can enjoy the view. They can also close the shutters if they want some privacy,” he says.