Apr 27, 2022 _ news

Cincinnati Children’s William K. Schubert M.D. Mental Health Center Tops Out

Members of GBBN’s team recently joined Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and Messer Construction for a beam-signing and ‘topping out’ ceremony at Cincinnati Children’s new behavioral health facility in College Hill. A traditional milestone in the construction process, the event celebrated the placement of the highest structural beam on the new building.

Exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of children and teens dealing with mental and behavioral health issues continues to rise. Designed as a haven of hope and healing the new facilty helps Cincinnati Children’s expand mental health services for children and adolescents.

We worked with Cincinnati Children’s to re-think the collection of therapeutic settings known as milieu. These are the spaces where patients will spend most of their time, participating in group therapy, guided activities, free choice time, and other therapies. The building’s design was influenced by the location and variety of milieu spaces on the units within the building and their role as shared resources and destinations. Milieu spaces, private rooms, a Family Resource Center, and a café are organized in a building designed to help demystify activities inside.

“We wanted to create a more transparent environment, so people could more easily see inside while also featuring opportunities to find support and resources through the Family Resource Center, a more accessible café, and other shared, therapeutic spaces where family members can be there for their loved one,” explains GBBN Principal Aaron Anderson, who is part of the design team working on the project.

Dichroic (color changing) glass fins on the exterior façade and an oculus in the lobby will enhance the feeling of transparency and welcome and invite curiosity, create interest and a sense of something new every visit.

“The building is a beacon of hope,” said Dr. Tracy Glauser, Associate Director of Cincinnati Children’s Research Foundation. “It gives hope to the families of Cincinnati in this terrible mental health crisis that affects our kids.”

The new facility is scheduled to open in late 2023.