Mental Health Facility Uses Design to Improve Outcomes

Far from the drab and claustrophobic mental health facilities of cinematic fame, Ohana aims to serve patients in an aesthetically soothing, nature-driven environment.

2 minute read

March 27, 2024, 9:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Aerial view of Ohana mental health facility in Monterey, California with wavy silver roof.

Ohana campus in Monterey, California. | Montage Health / Ohana

In a piece for Bloomberg CityLab, Alexandra Lange describes a mental health facility in Monterey, California designed with youth in mind, one that uses mass timber and soft furniture to create a comforting, open, and light-filled space that bucks the stereotype of the sterile, brutalist mental health ward.

The overall aesthetic of Ohana could be described as 21st century prep school, except here youth are not molded into cookie-cutter members of the elite but provided with the tools to mold themselves. Instead of long, straight, whitewashed hallways, there are curved, sunlit, wood-framed corridors. Instead of being surmounted by a timekeeping belltower, the highest point is the eyebrow curve of the lobby roofline, supported by visible glue-laminated timber beams and columns, directing the gaze out to the hills and up to the sky.

The facility also features expansive hillside views from its south-facing rooms and art selected to appeal to young viewers. “Outside, on the terrace, raised beds will soon be absorbed into the clinic’s programming via a garden club, while the rest of the landscaping, designed by Monterey firm BFS Landscape Architects, emphasizes plants like mint, lavender, and rosemary, whose bioactive phenols can activate the immune system and help with sleep.”

The facility works with health insurance and is funded in part by a $60 million endowment. Executive director Susan Swick hopes it can serve as a model for this type of care and offer evidence that it can achieve better outcomes for patients. “While Swick and her team collect data, Ohana is already making a statement, materially, that mental health care should not be secret, that better care is found in community, and that children deserve the best design.”

Saturday, March 23, 2024 in Bloomberg CityLab

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 7, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Person in yellow safety suit and white helmet kneels to examine water samples outdoors on a lake shore.

USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure

If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.

May 1, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Aerial view of Freeway Park cap park over I-5 interstate freeway in Seattle, Washington at night.

Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.

April 30, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Mobile home park at dusk.

Poor Conditions in Mobile Home Parks Put Residents at Risk

Failing infrastructure, poor water and air quality, and predatory owners endanger the health of manufactured home residents, many of whom are elderly and low-income.

May 11 - Next City

Complete Streets

How Complete Streets Stands to Lose in the FY26 ‘Skinny Budget’

The President’s proposed budget could cut key resources for active transportation, public transit, and road safety programs.

May 11 - Transportation for America

Historic Dairy Queen restaurant building with neon signs at night.

Dairy Queen and Rural Third Places

Dozens of Dairy Queen restaurants across Texas are closing, taking a critical community space with them.

May 11 - The Daily Yonder

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.