America’s behavioral health care system has long been overshadowed by traditional medical care. While physical health facilities often receive priority in funding and design innovation, behavioral health facilities are sometimes left behind, resulting in a lack of beds, outdated infrastructure, and environments that are not always conducive to recovery. This imbalance has real consequences, from reduced access to care to less effective treatment outcomes.
CannonDesign, an internationally recognized architectural firm, is stepping into this gap with a vision: to reimagine the spaces where behavioral health treatment occurs. With over 600 design awards and decades of expertise, the firm has become a leader in shaping environments that prioritize safety, healing, and dignity.
A Legacy of Design Excellence
Founded in 1945 in Niagara Falls, New York, CannonDesign has grown into a global leader in architectural, engineering, and design services. Today, it operates with more than 1,100 employees across 16 U.S. cities, as well as international offices in Toronto and Mumbai.
While the firm works across multiple sectors, behavioral health design has become a signature focus. Since designing its first mental wellness facility in 1996 — Canada’s Whitby Psychiatric Hospital (now the Ontario Shores Center for Mental Health Science) — CannonDesign has completed over 50 behavioral health facilities, with more than a dozen currently in development. These projects are not simply about aesthetics; they are about creating spaces where safety, recovery, and community thrive together.
A Patient-Centered Approach
CannonDesign’s philosophy in behavioral health design revolves around tailoring facilities to the unique needs of patients and providers. Unlike traditional medical environments, behavioral health facilities must account for distinct challenges such as patient mobility, heightened safety concerns, and the need for calming, restorative spaces.
As David Sass, a senior vice president and health care architect at CannonDesign, explains, the firm carefully balances durability, safety, and security while ensuring patients still feel respected and supported. Behavioral health patients are often more ambulatory than those in traditional medical settings, which influences every element of design — from room layout to common spaces.
Stephanie Vito, another senior leader at the firm, emphasizes that design must also foster community engagement. Facilities should not feel isolated; they should serve as hubs that connect patients, families, and providers in supportive ways.
The Thompson Autism Center: Innovation in Action
One of CannonDesign’s most notable recent projects is the Thompson Autism Center at Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC) in California. Opened in early 2020, the $9.5 million, 20,000-square-foot facility represents a new standard in autism care.
The center incorporates features designed specifically for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), such as:
- Calming colors and indirect lighting to reduce overstimulation.
- Artwork emphasizing social connections, reflecting the center’s therapeutic goals.
- A sensory-friendly waiting room with wall nooks where children can retreat when they feel overwhelmed.
- Exam rooms designed to accommodate multiple types of specialty care, minimizing the need for transitions to unfamiliar environments.
- Enhanced soundproofing to reduce disruptive noise.
Every detail was carefully considered to create a space that meets children where they are, helping reduce anxiety and enhance the effectiveness of care.
Breaking Away From Outdated Norms
Behavioral health architecture has historically lagged behind medical design, often relying on sterile, institutional layouts that neglect patient well-being. In 2015, the Facility Guidelines Institute published a report highlighting the dangers of poor facility design, noting that improper layouts can increase risks for patients and staff. Unlike traditional hospital wings, behavioral health environments require specialized approaches — there is no one-size-fits-all model.
CannonDesign embraces this philosophy by customizing every project. From autism centers to psychiatric hospitals, each facility is tailored to its community, its patients, and its care goals.
The Virginia Treatment Center for Children: A Pavilion in the Park
Perhaps one of CannonDesign’s most celebrated projects is the Virginia Treatment Center for Children (VTCC), which opened in Richmond in 2016. The 118,800-square-foot facility features 32 inpatient beds (expandable to 48) and embodies a design philosophy centered on dignity, wellness, and nature.
VTCC was conceived as a “pavilion in the park,” blending indoor and outdoor spaces to create a therapeutic environment. Features include:
- Separate self-contained units with 16 beds each, allowing clinicians to group patients by age, gender, or diagnosis.
- Activity zones where children can participate in therapy, read, or play games.
- Extensive use of glass to maximize natural light, replacing sterile, closed-off environments with warm, open spaces.
- Outdoor recreational areas that encourage physical activity and social engagement.
The design has earned multiple awards, including recognition from FastCompany as part of its World Changing Ideas competition.
Scaling for the Future
Behavioral health needs in the U.S. are growing rapidly, driven by increasing rates of mental illness, autism diagnoses, and substance use disorders. CannonDesign is meeting this demand head-on, with more than 15 behavioral health projects currently underway, primarily out of its Buffalo office.
The firm’s projects span psychiatric care, autism services, and substance use treatment. While many resemble medical care complexes in function, their design reflects a deeper commitment to human-centered healing. Small group spaces, natural light, sensory-friendly environments, and flexible layouts are becoming hallmarks of CannonDesign’s work.
The Impact of Thoughtful Design
Well-designed facilities don’t just look better — they improve care delivery. As Vito notes, clinicians in outdated buildings often spend valuable time compensating for poor layouts, which limits their ability to focus on patient care. A facility designed with the clinician’s workflow in mind reduces these inefficiencies, allowing staff to spend more time helping patients.
In essence, architecture becomes a form of care itself. The design of a behavioral health facility can either support or hinder recovery. CannonDesign’s projects demonstrate that when design prioritizes patient dignity, safety, and engagement, it enhances outcomes for both patients and providers.
Looking Ahead
As the demand for behavioral health services grows, so too does the need for facilities that reflect modern understanding of mental health care. CannonDesign is poised to play a key role in shaping that future.
By combining decades of expertise with a patient-centered, community-focused approach, the firm continues to challenge outdated norms in behavioral health architecture. From autism centers to psychiatric hospitals, CannonDesign’s work demonstrates how thoughtful design can transform the behavioral health care landscape.
For patients and families navigating some of life’s most difficult challenges, these spaces offer more than just treatment — they offer hope, dignity, and a path toward recovery.
