Every year around 350,000 people are admitted to UK hospitals with acquired brain injuries. Offering expert advice and therapy, Headway is a nationwide charity dedicated to improving their lives.

 

The east London team were seeking accommodation to support their social care programme, which helps people to regain lost skills and encourages independence in the community. Fortunately, a well-suited shell space became available at Timber Wharf in Hackney, nestled between a peaceful internal courtyard, cobbled mews and private canalside garden.

 

Headway’s brief for the interior emphasised inclusivity and accessibility, defining a sense of community, promoting health and wellbeing, with clear wayfinding for people who can become disorientated, all within a budget of £850/sqm.

 

A welcoming entrance faces the mews, connecting the waterfront garden and a circulation spine linking shared facilities. A stair also leads up to a private staff office. Enjoying uninterrupted views of the canal and internal courtyard, a central open space and communal kitchen act as a meeting place for all. Private individual therapy rooms with generous bay windows overlook the water. A gym and arts and crafts studio animate the courtyard frontage.

 

Finishes are robust and easily maintained, including linoleum flooring as a sustainable alternative to vinyl. Calm blues and uplifting yellows reinforce orientation and define a vibrant non-institutional feel. Artworks created by members of the community enliven the space, including a mural in the entrance hall. Health and wellbeing are revitalised with lush indoor planting.