Community Lutwyche - Community Mental Health Clinic
Caughley & Co. delivered the new Communify Lutwyche Community Mental Health Clinic at 566 Lutwyche Road, Lutwyche, transforming an existing, fragmented ground-floor tenancy into a welcoming, fully functioning community health facility for the local area.
Completed in August 2025 following an eight-week construction programme, the project forms part of a federally funded mental health initiative, providing accessible counselling, clinical and safe community spaces for the Lutwyche and surrounding communities.
The client, Communify, engaged Caughley & Co. as a repeat delivery partner, following the successful completion of previous projects together. The brief was clear and uncompromising: the new clinic needed to feel calm, inclusive and non-clinical, ensuring clients entering the space would feel supported rather than confronted by a harsh or institutional environment.
The scope of works included a public-facing waiting and reception area, multiple consulting rooms, a GP room, a group therapy room and a community kitchenette. To the back-of-house, Caughley & Co. delivered staff workspaces, amenities, a kitchenette and breakout facilities.
The project involved the refurbishment and consolidation of three existing tenancies into a single full-floor clinic, delivered as a cold shell environment requiring the installation and coordination of all new electrical, mechanical, communications and hydraulic services.
Design was led by external architect Sonda Banney, with mechanical services designed by specialist consultants. The modern design approach prioritised clarity of layout, natural movement through the space and visual softness to support the clinic’s therapeutic purpose.
A key material feature throughout the public areas is the use of premium pre-finished cork tiles, selected at the client’s request to enhance visual warmth and create a softer, more welcoming environment for patients and visitors.
One of the most complex aspects of the project was the delivery of significant structural modifications, including the creation of a new 6.0-metre wide opening through an existing structural wall to connect previously separated tenancies. The team also faced tight service coordination constraints in rooms with solid plaster ceilings, where mechanical ductwork, lighting and other services needed to be carefully re-engineered and custom fabricated to avoid clashes.
The standout feature of the fit-out is the public-facing front-of-house environment, characterised by exposed ceilings, visible services ductwork, carefully integrated lighting and power reticulation. The level of coordination within these exposed zones is a defining technical and visual element of the project.
The project was delivered in close collaboration with Dusk Group (client-side project managers) and the Communify leadership team, creating a strong foundation for ongoing delivery partnerships.
Today, the site operates as a fully functioning community mental health centre, and the client has confirmed they are highly satisfied with the outcome. The transformation of the building from a tired, outdated shell into a modern, purpose-built healthcare environment demonstrates Caughley & Co.’s ability to deliver complex, services-heavy refurbishments with a strong social and community focus.
