Colour and therapeutic environments with architect Jason Danziger

Colour and space

“Therapeutic environments are increasingly recognised across healthcare and education – and colour definitely has a role to play,” says architect Jason Danziger, who’s been working with consultant psychiatrist Dr Martin Voss at St Hedwig’s Hospital since they built the Soteria Berlin in 2013. Currently, they are creating a renewed Soteria facility on the campus, having trialled an award-winning prototype over the past decade.

“The Soteria is a therapeutic living environment for young people who have experienced a first episode of psychosis,” explains Danziger. “Treatment follows the principles of milieu therapy, which relies in part on offering patients safe, non-threatening environments.”

The design challenge was how to adapt a listed historic building to create a homely and engaging atmosphere. “The building dates from the turn of the last century and displays many of the characteristics of institutions of that era, including overly high ceilings and narrow rooms,” says Danziger. “Part of my goal is not to replicate systems that remind people they’re sick, and we worked with colour to help change people’s perceptions of the proportions of the space.”

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