This project was an integral component of New York State’s program to humanize the care of psychiatric patients in a non-institutional setting. Urbahn was initially engaged to develop 12- and 24-bed prototypes, and then was retained to adapt the 24-bed version for ten sites around the state. The selected properties were each on the periphery of psychiatric centers, sited so that the residences would address the surrounding communities. The prototype was designed in a traditional residential style which we customized to respond to contextual, geographical, climatic and topographical variations at each of the ten sites. Our designs created homelike, non-institutional environments to offer the greatest opportunity for clients to learn the skills necessary for independent living. Each facility is fully ADA compliant and includes design measures to reduce the potential for self-injury.
