Hopewood Park is an exemplary new 122-bed inpatient facility for adults and the elderly. This project is key to the Trust’s new objective to modernise and reform its mental health services, boldly signifying its commitment to this much neglected branch of healthcare. The extraordinary site overlooking the North Sea inspired the name of the area, Ryhope, which describes a valley cutting sharply through the landscape. These natural features underpin the creative evolution of the architecture, landscape, art and way-finding strategy. The elevated position, panoramic aspect and shelter contribute to the stepped form of a hillside community. This sense of neighbourliness is engendered through the building’s form, layout and the clustering of residential units around a landmark shared therapy and activity centre at the heart of the complex. Benefiting from years of refinement, the inpatient wards are standardised and planned to accommodate the widest range of service configurations and protect the long term value of the investment. Accessible via a landscaped front garden, the wards have been designed to offer an abundance of natural daylight. They are paired to allow safe and efficient staffing, and are designed to foster recovery through the placement of generous relaxing viewpoints for patients and staff to appreciate the coast and the rugged surrounding landscape.