Seastone is a new Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) High Intensity Environment (HIE), developed for Dorset Health Care at its Alumhurst Road site in Bournemouth.
One of the early projects within the NHS New Hospital Programme, Seastone has helped inform future healthcare schemes through a forward-thinking approach to buildability and room standardisation. The facility includes eight ensuite bedrooms and provides 24-hour specialist care for young people aged 12–18 experiencing periods of acute and complex mental health needs, enabling them to receive support closer to their local community and established support networks.
Designed by Medical Architecture and built by Kier Construction, the approximately 1,500m² facility combines secure clinical accommodation with therapeutic, educational and recreational spaces, all set within a woodland environment. Designed to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating, the scheme was also named Future Design Project of the Year at the 2025 Design in Mental Health Awards.
Medical Architecture is well known within the healthcare sector for its evidence-based approach to creating environments that support wellbeing, recovery and positive outcomes. Co-design played an important role in the development of Seastone, with peer reviews and consultation involving representative and existing service users helping to shape a cohesive understanding of the design elements most important to the young people who would use the facility.
Pineapple was pleased to be selected as a furniture provider for the scheme, bringing extensive experience in supplying products for mental health, healthcare and other challenging environments.
Matthew Bryant, Chief Executive at Dorset HealthCare, said:
“This facility represents a major step forward for mental health services in Dorset. It will enable us to care for young people with high intensity needs in a restorative environment close to friends and family, improving the chance of recovery.”
The building’s relationship with its woodland setting is reflected throughout the interior scheme. A calming palette of dusty blues, soft greens, warm neutrals and muted greys complements the surrounding views and helps create an environment that feels welcoming and less institutional.
Colours selected across the furniture specification reinforce this connection, helping to create continuity between internal spaces, landscaped areas and the surrounding treetop setting.
Furniture was selected to support the safety, comfort and dignity of the young people using the unit, while also considering the needs of staff, visitors and clinical teams. The specification was carefully tailored to the function and risk profile of each individual space.
Outdoor areas feature robust Ryno Dining Chairs 2.0, weighted to 55kg, alongside Ryno Benches in Dusty Blue and Ryno Pedestal Tables. Together, these products create safe, durable and welcoming spaces for supervised activities, social interaction and time outdoors.
Lounge and games areas combine Orr Plus two-seater sofas, Snug Plus modular seating and Boden Beanbags to provide comfortable, age-appropriate settings for relaxation and group activities.
Dining areas feature Ryno Dining Chairs 2.0 and Ryno Combo Tables, while additional lounge spaces include Cirrus Coffee Tables and Sigma Plus Tub Chairs with anti-stash seams, upholstered in warm, neutral tones to complement the wider interior scheme.
Bedrooms include Contessa Caterpillar Foam Shapes alongside specially sized Ryno Beds, demonstrating Pineapple’s ability to adapt established products to meet specific spatial, clinical and operational requirements.
Study areas use Cumulus Plus Dining Tables and Bold Chairs to provide practical settings for learning and focused activities, while corridor breakout areas feature Contessa Foam Cubes and Boden Beanbags, offering informal places for rest and social interaction.
Within quiet and de-escalation spaces, zip-free Contessa Foam Cubes and Cascade Plus high-back seating were upholstered in Crib 7-rated anti-vandal vinyl. Reduced seams, robust materials and carefully considered construction help minimise opportunities for misuse while retaining a comfortable and welcoming appearance.
Complex mental health environments often require furniture solutions that go beyond standard specifications. Pineapple’s ability to produce specials, adapt dimensions, modify upholstery details and respond to individual project requirements made it possible to tailor products around the particular needs of Seastone.
The completed scheme brings together safety, durability, comfort and inclusion, helping to create an environment where young people can feel respected, supported and secure while receiving specialist care.
