Live Laugh Love: A Community Centre for Therapy in Edinburgh

Project by Sakypzhamal Khalyk

Shortlisted entry of Live Laugh Love 2020

Architecture, when intentionally designed, can be a powerful tool for healing. The Community Centre for Therapy in Edinburgh, envisioned by Sakypzhamal Khalyk, embodies this concept through the integration of healing architecture that enhances mental well-being, inclusivity, and public engagement. Shortlisted in the Live Laugh Love 2020 competition, the project tackles the pressing challenge of mental health care by creating a public space for art therapy, interaction, and emotional restoration.

Situated along Canaan Lane in Morningside, South West Edinburgh, the project is located amidst an Old Age Home, a school for children with disabilities, and a blind school. This context was key in determining the centre's public role, inclusive functionality, and therapeutic goals. It creates a supportive environment for people of all ages and abilities, where therapy is approached not only as a clinical practice but as a community experience.

A Golden Form for Emotional Balance

The project’s architecture is grounded in the principle of the golden ratio. The form, a composition of soft curves and natural geometry, contributes to visual harmony and beauty, creating a space that is both mentally calming and spatially coherent. Instead of sharp, imposing geometries, the building’s soft, flowing form visually relieves mental pressure and encourages emotional openness. It aligns with the philosophy that architecture can affect the psycho-emotional state of its users.

Sensory-Driven Design

The therapy centre is organized around sensory zones—hearing, touch, vision, and movement. Music therapy, water therapy, and visual art therapy are supported by carefully zoned programmatic layouts and spatial flows. The design stimulates all sensory organs in a therapeutic environment, reinforcing the core concept that healing is a holistic experience.

The use of natural materials was critical. The building integrates with its context through a soft architectural language and biophilic detailing. Open spaces and natural light encourage openness and healing, while spatial zoning promotes both social interaction and personal retreat.

Community, Inclusivity, Nature

The centre operates as a fully public space, designed for people from all age groups and abilities. It promotes art and dance therapy, dialogue, and interaction. Outdoor spaces are landscaped to remain open and natural, strengthening the connection between nature and recovery.

Eleena Jamil, a juror of the competition, remarked:

"For a building of this nature, I think it is important that we see more of what it feels like experiencing the spaces as a user. Context and its relationship to the interior spaces is also important to highlight."

She added:

"I think a less 'iconic approach' will be better suited for designing a building for vulnerable people. There is potential in the concept, if allowed to develop further."

These comments acknowledge the strength of the project’s core ideas and encourage future refinement towards more user-centric solutions.

The Architecture of Mental Wellness

This centre is not just a building; it is a response to Scotland's growing mental health crisis. With nearly one in three individuals affected annually, the need for environments that facilitate healing and social integration is more critical than ever. This project reframes therapy spaces as welcoming, artistically expressive environments rather than institutionalized enclosures.

As the design team aptly summarized:

"While a psychologist influences one person, the architecture of a building can affect entire generations of people living in its environment."

By embedding the values of healing architecture into its very structure, this community centre redefines the role of public buildings in nurturing societal health and inclusion.