Mason Clinic - Te Aka Forensic Mental Health Unit E Tū Wairua Hinengaro
Opened on 30 January 2026, E Tū Wairua Hinengaro is the first state-of-the-art forensic mental health facility built in Aotearoa since 1999. The 1,770 m2 standalone building sits within the Mason Clinic campus in Auckland, adding 15 inpatient beds and replacing four ageing units that were no longer fit for purpose. The facility forms the first stage of a long-term campus masterplan designed to meet future demand.
The design by Klein Architects is guided by a clear intent: that environment shapes recovery. Every decision from spatial planning to material selection was made in service of a place that feels safe, humane and grounding.
A whare forms the cultural and spiritual heart of the building. It functions as an admissions room and a flexible space for therapy and gathering, anchoring the facility in a Māori cultural framework and ensuring that identity and belonging are present from the moment someone enters.
Shared spaces throughout the building include a gym, occupational therapy room, dining and lounge areas and a multi-sensory modulation room, designed to support a full spectrum of daily life across movement, rest, activity and reflection.
The material palette reinforces the design intent at every level.
In the ensuites and shower rooms, Primo Safe.T in Light Warm Grey provides confident slip resistance underfoot while maintaining the calm, considered finish carried throughout the building. The same product in Medium Cool Beige extends into the utility and laundry areas, where durability and low maintenance are the priority. In the communications rooms, Primo SD in Medium Pure Grey meets the technical demands of static-dissipative performance without disrupting the visual coherence of the space. In the gymnasium, Omnisport Speed in Beech Natural brings warmth and acoustic comfort to a room designed for physical activity and rehabilitation.
ProtectWall 1.5 mm in Uni Super White runs consistently through the main corridors, dining and lounge spaces, treatment rooms, secure and high-care corridors and the utility areas, providing robust protection against impact, scratches and chemicals while keeping the environment looking well-maintained. In the bedrooms, ProtectWall in Oak Tree Natural is laid horizontally above the skirting, introducing a grounded natural warmth to the most personal spaces in the building. In the high-care lounge, Uni White Blue offers a subtle shift in tone, gently differentiating the space while remaining within the cohesive palette.
The result is a facility that takes its responsibilities seriously without feeling institutional.
