Reducing Prejudices through Architectural Design

Young People’s Experiences at a Child Psychiatric Center

Abstract

While the importance of appropriate mental health care for young people is increasingly acknowledged, the role of the built environment in this context receives little attention. We investigate this role in how children and teenagers experience care at a child psychiatric center. We interviewed them, their parents and caregivers using methods that addressed the young people’s lifeworld and that introduced a spatial dimension. The participants perceive the organically shaped building as a secure base that helps reduce their prejudices against mental health care and that affects their willingness to stay. They especially appreciate places where security is well-balanced with autonomy. A privacy gradient allows retreating and exploring, although the preferred balance and gradient differ among children.