FEATURED ARTICLE
Design for people with mental illness by John Van der Have
John Van der Have is the principal of Bio-Building Design Pty Ltd - Architects and Access Consultants, based in the City of Blue Mountains, NSW. He is a member of ACAA, and also a member of the Australian Institute of Architects. He has served as access consultant on several hospital projects, including psychiatric wards.
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he Premises Standards Review Consultation Paper issued in February 2021 by the Commonwealth Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources1 flagged an issue that has not so far been included in the Access-to-Premises Standards. That issue was referred to as ‘Environmental sensitivities’. The paper elaborated: ‘Some reported how buildings or building designs interacted with people’s extreme sensitivity to noise, psychosocial disabilities, anxiety issues …’2. The Consultation Paper reported that individuals affected by ‘environmental sensitivities’ experience symptoms that impact their health and wellbeing. As an example, one person commented: ‘Carpet and flooring patterns should be considered in the designing process as this
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may cause the perception/illusions for those with … anxiety’3. How do we go about designing for people who experience anxiety or other mental health conditions? What is the extent of mental illness in Australia, and can it be addressed in the Premises Standards, the Building Code of Australia or Australian Standards?
CURRENT REGULATORY SITUATION At present, AS 1428 - Design for access and mobility - makes detailed provisions for design for people with mobility impairments, and also for people with some sensory impairments. The AS 1428 series of standards, however, makes no provision for people with impairment or disability associated with mental illness. The Premises Standards 2010 likewise currently contain no explicit mention of design for people with issues relating to mental illness.
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