What elements in a building can inspire wellness? For architect Robyn Whitwham, it’s large windows, good ventilation and colourful walls that make a space come alive.

These elements and more have inspired Whitwham as she designed the new hub for Stella’s Place, a fast-growing mental health centre serving young people, free of charge, in downtown Toronto.

The design journey has been a personal one for Whitwham, a 29-year-old Stantec architect, who falls into the same age category, 16-29, as the youth that Stella’s Place helps every day. The impact Stella’s Place has had on people her age, Whitwham said, was top of mind as she drafted sketches for what its new space in a former candy factory in Alexandra Park would look like.

“Everyone has a connection to them because everyone suffers from mental health challenges in some way, shape or form,” Whitwham said. “A place like that in the