St. Mary’s Hospital, Kettering – Reception & Consulting Rooms

St Mary’s Hospital is a multi-functional hospital site which caters for both in-patients and out-patients for Adult Mental Health, Clinical Psychology, Sexual Health and Drug and Alcohol (NDAS) support services. The Hospital appointed GSSArchitecture to extend and improve their existing Substance Abuse Facility. The facility is housed in an extension to the original Edwardian building, which was also designed by GSS.

The work included provision of new facilities to extend the department’s ability to offer a needle exchange, which required new needle collection and dirty needle return in separate rooms. The reception area itself had to be carefully designed to be as defensible as possible without being too threatening, but did include emergency release glass screens and secure pass trays. The works were co-ordinated with the Estates Department and the users to ensure that the unit continued to operate throughout the project.

The exterior of the new single storey building was carefully considered to blend in with the two storey original building and also to sit comfortably within the setting of the adjacent main St. Mary’s Hospital building, which is Grade 2 listed.