July 2026

Collaboration at the Heart of Daleham Gardens Crisis House

Working closely with service users, carers and staff, who all brought valuable lived experience, Hunters ensured that the House’s refurbishment was designed around the needs of the people who would use and work in it every day. Their insight helped shape the layout and design, creating spaces that feel open and safe, whilst also being fully accessible and inclusive. This helped create a building that is calm and easy to navigate, with a warm, welcoming and therapeutic environment that supports dignity, recovery and care.

Hunters collaborated with North London NHS Foundation Trust to transform the crisis House at Daleham Gardens, sensitively refurbishing part of an Edwardian three-storey building to better support both residents and staff.

The project included the creation of six new en-suite bedrooms on the second floor, alongside a welcoming communal lounge and dining/kitchen area. A carefully considered palette of soft, muted colours and natural materials was chosen to create a calm, restorative environment that promotes wellbeing and recovery. In addition, new consulting rooms and improved staff facilities were designed to enhance the day-to-day delivery of care.

Daleham Gardens provides a safe and supportive alternative to hospital admission for adults experiencing, or at imminent risk of, a mental health crisis. From the outset, the project embraced a genuinely collaborative design process. Staff, carers and service users worked alongside the Hunters team, contributing ideas and creating artwork that became an integral part of the finished environment.

This project demonstrates the value of designing with people, rather than simply for them.

One service user commented: “I just love it! It’s bright, it’s new, it’s fresh. I’m impressed.”

Another service user added: “I’m glad my input has counted for so much.”

Zheng Chee Cham, Architectural Assistant Said: “Working on such an impactful scheme is always incredibly rewarding, and seeing how much of an impression the stakeholder suggestions had proves how important collaboration can be to successful design and user experience.”

Thank you to North London NHS Foundation Trust for sharing the images and comments on their North London Mental health website here.