Completed in early 2020, the new West County Behavioral Health Center, located northeast of the San Francisco, California Bay area in Contra Costa County, is a two-story, standalone clinic that expands the scope of services offered by the West County Health Center.
This new facility focuses on behavioral health, and will help alleviate the main health center’s flow of patients for crisis counseling and brief therapy for specific behavioral issues, as well as protects these patients from the contraction of contagious illnesses often found at typical county health facilities. The Design-Build project was led by a partnership of design firm HED and Overaa Construction. Initial design schematics were completed by HPS Architects.
Expansive glazing and vibrant colored walls aim to create a welcoming and optimistic environment for patients inside the facility. The vibrant walls are paired with different scales and organic patterns on the carpeted floor, which facilitate wayfinding and zoning. Lighting from above combines with exterior daylight to bring high energy into the lobby, helping the space contribute to the therapy of healing.
Located in an active seismic zone, the facility was carefully designed to account for potential future seismic events. Most notably, a large, vertical drift joint was incorporated and carefully hidden within the design.
