The building complex of the former Psychiatric Hospital located in the district of Quarto, east of the city, is accessible from Via G. Maggio, connected to the main road network of Corso Europa and Via A. Carrara. The construction of the first building, today referred to as the "Old Institute", was entrusted to the architect Antonio Canetti and completed in 1893; at the entrance of the structure, outside it, two small buildings were built for the residence of the health director and the hospital bursar. Subsequently, in order to enlarge the structure, Villa Spinola was purchased and immediately demolished to make room for the construction of the so-called "New Institute" and the Casa delle Infermiere (nurses' home), both completed in 1933. 

The building typology adopted in the original project, now almost unchanged, is based on the use of large spaces, free from load-bearing structures. 

The entire real estate complex, now divided into three different properties, ARTE, ASL3 and CDP Immobiliare, consists of various buildings in the neo-classical style, among which the so-called "Old Institute" and "New Institute", the residential buildings (now called former SERT and former CAUP), the so-called "Casa delle Infermiere" (recently renovated for guest use), the monumental concierge on Via G. Maggio, a recently built office building, and another smaller building that housed the forensic medicine clinics (building C) are recognisable.

 The Old Institute is divided into 22 pavilions interconnected by internal courtyards with two to three floors above ground and one to two floors underground; they are generally made of load-bearing masonry, with pitched roofing in Marseille tiles (hence the pseudonym "red roofs"). The New Institute has three floors above ground in addition to one floor partially underground.

The building complex includes smaller service buildings and large vehicular and parking areas.

The green areas are schematically divided into three zones: the gardens and the avenues leading to the pavilions, a partly level area with trees located to the south, and a steep wooded area located on the north-north-west side.

Currently sector 3 is composed of: a stretch of road used mostly as a car park, an area partially occupied by an office building that is spread over four floors, a green area and small manufactured products.

Below the road/parking level there is a water reserve tank and the premises host the central heating plant, both of which serve the historical pavilions of the former Psychiatric Hospital.

As a result of the adopted PUO, there are plans to expand the current size: 4480 sqm of buildings in 7,800 sqm for residential use, 3000 sqm of 2,500 garages + 500 sqm of parking spaces for rent; 13,900 sqm of land in 8,600 sqm.

Currently the building is considered vacant, while the water reserve and operational central heating plant and parking spaces are in use.