As healthcare infrastructure faces increasing pressure and new models of care continue to develop, there is an important question around the role our buildings can play. Design can play a role in supporting healthier communities.

Through extensive consultation, Gorbals Health & Social Care Centre brought together four GP services, dental services and a range of social care provision under one roof, creating a single, accessible destination within the heart of the Gorbals.

Years before integrated healthcare became a national priority, Gorbals brought healthcare, social care and community services together, supporting closer working between services and creating a more joined-up experience for patients.

The design was developed around the needs of both patients and staff. Clear circulation and intuitive wayfinding make the building easy to navigate, while two internal courtyards bring daylight, natural ventilation and views into the heart of the building, enhancing well-being for staff and patients.

A central “slow stair” rises through the building alongside the main courtyard, providing an accessible route between floors while creating opportunities to pause, meet and connect. Waiting areas are positioned close to the services they serve, with views towards the gardens helping to create a calmer and more welcoming environment.

The project remains a reminder that good healthcare design is about more than accommodating clinical services. It is about supporting collaboration, accessibility and better experiences for the people who use and deliver care.

Staff wellbeing was considered alongside patient experience, with the organisation of departments and shared spaces developed through close engagement with the healthcare teams.

Good healthcare infrastructure isn’t just about treating illness. It is about creating welcoming, connected and accessible environments that support prevention, wellbeing and community resilience.

With the future of healthcare infrastructure and new models of delivery firmly back on the agenda, Gorbals demonstrates how thoughtful healthcare architecture can create lasting social value beyond the clinical services delivered within its walls.

Our experience across healthcare and social care projects gives us a strong understanding of the particular demands of these environments; from complex operational requirements and patient experience to accessibility, flexibility and long-term adaptability.

Gorbals Health & Social Care Centre is an award winning example of how better environments can support better healthcare and healthier communities.

For more information on the award-winning project: Gorbals Health & Social Care Centre – jmarchitects