Hardies Chartered Surveyors and Shepherd Chartered Surveyors are helping build accessible mental health support at The Nook in Aberdeen, a new walk-in hub from SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health) where anyone can access stigma-free mental health support.

The firms are helping transform the Marischal Square site, which previously housed restaurant Tony Macaroni.

The Nook is SAMH’s most ambitious project yet, offering free mental health support to adults, young people and families seven days a week, without the need for appointments, referrals, or waiting lists.

This will be the second of SAMH’s five planned Nooks, creating Scotland’s first national network of walk-in mental health and wellbeing support hubs, and it is scheduled to open by the middle of this year.

Douglas Smith, Managing Partner at Hardies Chartered Surveyors, who drives the SAMH programme said: “Our teams are delighted to help bring this welcoming, purpose-built space to life, working closely with Burns Construction (Aberdeen), Graeme Bruce & Keith McPhee’s team on the ground.

Supporting SAMH in creating spaces where people can access mental health support without barriers is something we are deeply committed to. The Nook model is simple, human and profoundly impactful, and we are proud to play our part in bringing these hubs to communities that need them.”

He added: “This is the second Nook to be delivered, following the hugely successful delivery and launch of the first in Glasgow, which welcomed 1000 visitors through its doors within its first two months of opening!”

The largest charitable mental health initiative in Scotland’s history, SAMH hopes The Nook will revolutionise mental health support in Scotland – and inspire collective action to change the system in the longer term.

There will also be an extensive outreach programme that will accompany each hub, bringing vital support into even more communities.

By 2028, there will be a network of five Nooks across Scotland, providing barrier-free support to tens of thousands of people each year.

Jason Bryce, Chief Operating Officer at SAMH, said: “We are so pleased to announce that construction of The Nook in Aberdeen is now underway, bringing barrier-free mental health support one step closer to anyone in the Northeast and keeping us on schedule for a planned open date of summer 2026. The Nook is already changing lives in Glasgow, and we cannot wait to roll this support out across the country.

We are also happy to team up again with Hardies Chartered Surveyors and Shepherd Chartered Surveyors, who supported us with The Nook in Glasgow, and to begin working with Burns Construction (Aberdeen). Developing The Nook requires close collaboration and careful decision making to create a space that removes barriers to support, helps brings people together and provides safety and comfort for anyone accessing mental health support.”

Douglas Smith, Managing Partner at Hardies Chartered Surveyors, said: “We are very much looking forward to the opening of the second Nook. Hardies and Shepherd Chartered Surveyors are involved from inception through to completion, and we are delighted to support the project within an ambitious timescale and agreed budget. I will always drive projects hard to meet timescales and budgets. The project was delivered using all consultancy services in house.

It will be fantastic to see another Nook come to life, providing a welcoming, purpose-built space that supports mental health and wellbeing within the community.”

Hardies and Shepherd remain committed to partnering with SAMH to help bring future Nooks to life across Scotland. The Nook in Aberdeen is expected to open to the public this summer.