PROJECT BACKGROUND
AFL Architects were commissioned to undertake the feasibility, design, and delivery of the 4th Floor Community Outreach refurbishment at Dean Clough’s Bowling Mill in Halifax. This scheme forms a critical step in Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust’s broader estate reconfiguration masterplan. The project involved converting a vacant upper-floor unit within the Grade II listed building into a modern, tailored clinical outreach team base. Designed to relocate existing outreach services from a legacy Halifax town centre location, the project delivers long-term cost savings, supports more integrated care, and places essential NHS teams closer to the outpatient and physiotherapy services already operating on the ground floor. This proximity improves staff connectivity, service efficiency, and patient experience, all while retaining and celebrating the character of this heritage industrial site.
THE BRIEF
AFL’s design team approached the project with a dual aim: deliver a functional, professional clinical environment that meets NHS specifications, while retaining the unique heritage value of the Grade II listed mill building. The Trust was clear in its desire for a work environment that was both relaxed and professional, providing space for private conversations, MDT reviews, and daily clinical admin, without losing the existing charm of the building. The space had to be welcoming and visually impressive, promoting staff wellbeing while remaining rigorously compliant with infection control standards, building regulations, and facilities management requirements.
LAYOUT AND FEATURES
The plan provides a balanced mix of open-plan work areas, hot-desking zones, formal boardrooms, and semi-private breakout and meeting spaces. The layout reflects clinical workflow priorities while also embedding privacy and acoustic control throughout. Specific teams within the outreach department were carefully mapped and allocated appropriate zones to optimise collaboration, reduce disruption, and allow for flexible growth. Support spaces include clinical and general storage areas, a secure records room, a shared staff refreshment zone, and quiet rooms for confidential patient or staff discussions. Importantly, original WCs within the building were retained and designed around, helping control costs while presenting a layout challenge that required creative resolution to ensure optimal workflow and access. Where required, additional fire egress and emergency routes were subtly integrated to meet current safety codes without disrupting the historic fabric of the building.
STAKEHOLDER COLLABORATION
The plan provides a balanced mix of open-plan work areas, hot-desking zones, formal boardrooms, and semi-private breakout and meeting spaces. The layout reflects clinical workflow priorities while also embedding privacy and acoustic control throughout. Specific teams within the outreach department were carefully mapped and allocated appropriate zones to optimise collaboration, reduce disruption, and allow for flexible growth. Support spaces include clinical and general storage areas, a secure records room, a shared staff refreshment zone, and quiet rooms for confidential patient or staff discussions. Importantly, original WCs within the building were retained and designed around, helping control costs while presenting a layout challenge that required creative resolution to ensure optimal workflow and access. Where required, additional fire egress and emergency routes were subtly integrated to meet current safety codes without disrupting the historic fabric of the building.The plan provides a balanced mix of open-plan work areas, hot-desking zones, formal boardrooms, and semi-private breakout and meeting spaces. The layout reflects clinical workflow priorities while also embedding privacy and acoustic control throughout. Specific teams within the outreach department were carefully mapped and allocated appropriate zones to optimise collaboration, reduce disruption, and allow for flexible growth. Support spaces include clinical and general storage areas, a secure records room, a shared staff refreshment zone, and quiet rooms for confidential patient or staff discussions. Importantly, original WCs within the building were retained and designed around, helping control costs while presenting a layout challenge that required creative resolution to ensure optimal workflow and access. Where required, additional fire egress and emergency routes were subtly integrated to meet current safety codes without disrupting the historic fabric of the building.
"The outreach offices don’t feel like a typical clinic at all. With all the natural light and open space, people often say it helps them feel calm and comfortable. I also really like how parts of the original mill are visible, it adds a unique, welcoming touch. We’re really luck to have a space like this to work in.”
- J. Wilson - Head Nurse Community Division
OUTCOME AND IMPACT
The transformation of the 4th floor into a dedicated community outreach base has created a modern, efficient, and welcoming workspace that meets the evolving needs of the Trust’s clinical teams. By bringing outreach services into closer proximity with the physiotherapy and outpatient services on the ground floor, the design encourages more collaborative and cohesive ways of working. The new environment balances functionality with sensitivity to its historic context. Original features of the Grade II listed mill have been respectfully retained, while the internal layout supports flexibility, confidentiality, and staff wellbeing. Teams now operate from a purposedesigned space tailored to their workflows, with clearly defined zones for meetings, clinical storage, and quiet working. The result is a more integrated and supportive working environment, one that promotes better communication between departments, improves staff satisfaction, and reflects the Trust’s broader commitment to communitybased healthcare within high-quality, characterful settings.
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