Winner of the Design for Neighbourhood Health Award at the 2026 European Healthcare Design (EHD) Awards, Parkhead Hub is redefining how health, care and community services come together.
Parkhead Hub is a net-zero health, care and community facility serving more than 176,000 people in North-East Glasgow.
Set within one of Scotland’s most deprived communities, the project responds to longstanding health inequalities by rethinking how care is organised, accessed and experienced.
The ambition was not simply to replace existing facilities, but to create a shared civic space that supports prevention, dignity and independence as part of everyday neighbourhood life.
Watch the video to learn more about the vision, design and impact behind the award-winning Parkhead Hub
From fragmented services to a ‘single front door’
Before Parkhead Hub, health, social care and community services were dispersed across multiple buildings, creating barriers to access and limiting opportunities for early support. Building on NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s neighbourhood health approach, the Hub brings together primary care, mental health, addictions, children’s services, social care, sexual health, homelessness support and third-sector partners.
These clinical services are co-located with civic uses, including a library, café, pharmacy and flexible community spaces, creating a building that functions as a familiar, accessible destination rather than a traditional health centre.
A central design decision was the creation of a single front door. Everyone enters the building in the same way, whether attending a clinical appointment, visiting the library or meeting a support worker. This deliberate move reduces stigma, protects privacy and supports earlier access to care.
A building that feels open, calm and familiar
Designed by AECOM and Hoskins Architects, Parkhead Hub is welcoming, intuitive and easy to use. Daylight, clear sightlines and simple routes help people find their way quickly, while sheltered courtyards offer moments of calm within a busy, multi-service building.
The architecture avoids a clinical feel. A limited palette of warm, durable materials creates spaces that are robust but humane, balancing openness with privacy and dignity. Public, community and clinical areas sit naturally alongside one another, supporting both everyday use and more confidential care without sharp boundaries.
A fabric-first, fully electric approach supports a healthy internal environment while reducing energy demand and long-term running costs.
The ambition was not simply to replace existing facilities, but to create a shared civic space that supports prevention, dignity and independence as part of everyday neighbourhood life.
Designed with the community, built for the long term
From the outset, Parkhead Hub was shaped with local residents, patients, NHS staff, voluntary organisations and the council. Their input influenced spatial organisation, service adjacencies and the overall character of the building. A dedicated arts strategy, supported by an early commitment of one percent of the capital budget, enabled young people and community groups to shape the identity of the Hub, fostering long-term ownership and pride.
Since opening in January 2025, the Hub has become a well-used civic destination. Services now work together in new ways, community spaces are heavily used, and the building is part of daily life – not just a place to visit when unwell. In doing so, Parkhead Hub demonstrates how thoughtful design can actively support neighbourhood health, resilience and dignity over time.
The project won the Design for Neighbourhood Health Award at the European Healthcare Design (EHD) Awards in June 2026.
Header image: Parkhead Hub, Glasgow, Scotland