The opportunity

The project presents an opportunity to integrate hospital, research and teaching facilities for mental healthcare within a unique site in Headington, Oxford.

The vision is to shape the public realm of the hospital so that it supports the different building functions and their specific requirements, while offering patients, students, staff, and visitors a coherent, welcoming and high-quality user experience. The aspiration is to create a world-class mental health hospital, workplace, and teaching campus.

This will involve the redevelopment of existing buildings and creation of new ones, as well as enhancing connectivity and visual relationships between buildings and open spaces to create a cohesive, functional and engaging environment.

Our contribution

Space Syntax conducted spatial analysis and modelling to develop a clear understanding of the site’s opportunities and constraints. This informed the public realm designs through option modelling and tailored public realm guidance.

The analysis identified opportunities to enhance wayfinding and create more coherent pathways, improving ease of navigation and reducing the potential for disorientation within the site.

The outcome

The proposed design strategy integrates seamlessly into the local network, providing access from multiple directions. This strategic positioning maximises the site’s walkability and unlocks its connectivity potential with nearby institutions and the broader urban context.

The north-south route linking Warneford Road and the Meadow creates a strategic green pedestrian corridor, activating the square and surrounding public spaces. Additional access via Warneford Lane reinforces this north-south connection, while movement through the Link Building remains key to overall movement.

The design establishes a clear hierarchy of routes, with prominent north-south and east-west axes that organise internal movement and support intuitive navigation throughout the site.