Natural light and green spaces key to design

Feilden & Mawson has won planning for the refurbishment of a building in a west London conservation area.

The renovated Lammas Centre in Ealing will provide facilities for a local community-based mental health supported housing service.

The building is listed locally as a heritage asset so a key consideration for the practice was the need to ensure the scheme was sympathetic to the local scale in form, massing and materials.

Western red cedar, glue-laminated timber and glass are the main materials proposed for the new structures.

Introducing new green landscaping and improving access to natural light for existing spaces were also important because of the benefits nature and natural light can bring to the recovery process.

The scheme also proposes a series of sedum green roofs over the one-storey extension, walkway and main entrance canopy.

Elsie Owusu, partner at Feilden & Mawson, said: “We are very pleased with the Lammas Centre approval. This was an exciting and challenging brief. We believe our design has delivered a combination of simple and contemporary design with the sensitive conservation of an important locally listed building.”

The centre will offer 24-hour-supported therapeutic accommodation to people suffering from mental health issues. The facility will be run by a charitable organisation, Rethink Mental Illness, on behalf of West London Mental Health NHS Trust.

This story first appeared on Building Design.