Mental health planner Stephen Parker is a rising star in 2024

Mental health architect and planner, Stantec Architecture. Part 1: 2014, Part 2: 2016

Stephen Parker describes himself as someone who strives to “educate, advocate and uplift mental health issues through the lens of design.” As co-leader of Stantec Architecture’s mental health practice, he has designed many mental health, addiction and developmental disabilities clinics around the world, including inpatient mental health units in Canada.

Parker, based in Washington DC, actively shapes draft policy in this area. He is co-author of the U.S. Veterans Administration’s Inpatient Mental Health Design Guide and is a founding member of the Center for Health Design’s Mental & Behavioral Health Environment Network. He also volunteers as a contributor to the Design in Mental Health Network, based in Great Britain.

Parker’s interest in mental health design was inspired by the experience of friends who suffered from PTSD while serving overseas, and by that of his father (see below).

“How can we change the narrative so that people are willing to address their mental health and not afraid to ask for help out of fear of where they will end up?” he asks, adding, “Democratizing design knowledge around mental health is a really important part of my approach to advocacy.”

The judges were impressed by Parker’s desire to create change. “He uses his experiences to inform his work, especially in the field of mental health,” says Martyn Craddock. “Stephen’s dedication to the design and advocacy of mental health settings is inspiring and transformative,” added James Purkiss.

Which existing building and problem would you most like to tackle?

Emergency departments have a secure waiting area for psychiatric patients. The room my father, Clark, was in at the hospital where we lived was a windowless room. His delusional paranoia required coercion, spatial confinement, and chemical restraint, which ultimately led to 13 drugs on his chart. The systemic issues of access to mental health care, the stigma of place, and the role of design in helping, not hindering, mental well-being are the focus of my practice.

See more rising stars from RIBA Journal