North West Youth PARC

North West Youth PARC is a Prevention and Recovery Care residential project designed for the Victorian Health Building Authority and Orygen Youth Health. It is a 20-bed facility providing care for clients aged 16-25 with diagnosed mental illness requiring sub-acute healthcare. The YPARC is located on a hilly site adjacent to Royal Park with views of remnant indigenous landscapes in all directions. During the co-design process, we heard from staff and lived experience consumers that they wanted to maximise the outlook and connection to the landscape, differentiating the YPARC from their acute facility experience. The building is made up of two L- shaped houses – each wrapping around an outdoor area. A fully glazed deck runs along the courtyard frontage, maximising the physical and visual connections between the indoor and outdoor areas. This gently connects communal and circulation areas visually, while simultaneously maintaining an appropriate level of separation between private and public spaces. The design responds to the co-design group’s brief for an “earthy, non-hierarchical, lounge-y, non-institutional building