VA Martinez Behavioral Health Center

This new outpatient clinic offers a healing environment that honors the sacrifice and commitment of our veterans, many of whom suffer from challenges like post-traumatic stress disorder. Sited at the campus entry in wooded clusters of oak and eucalyptus trees, the building provides a strong connection to nature from spaces that serve one-on-one therapy, group meetings, and group activities. While connecting patients with the wooded hillside, the extensive glazing also pulls in ample natural light.

Sited at the main entry to this campus, the building nestles into the sloped site with an elegant design that takes advantage of its natural setting. The massing of the building, organized in a two-level “T” shape, creates an elegant gateway to the campus. The bar on the east/west axis is visible as one story above grade as visitors approach the campus, making Level 2 the entry level. It is a light and ethereal glass bar that sits atop its Level 1 brick cradle and cantilevers gracefully over the site. The shorter bar along the north/south axis extends between the trees, providing a solid, vertical counterbalance to the lightness of the main bar and serving as a visual marker upon entry into the campus.

This project exemplifies the ways in which elegant, simple design—clean lines, connection to outdoors, and a warm and welcoming environment—can be accomplished within strict cost constraints.