HOSPITAL DESIGN
Courtyards carved into the building bring light and outdoor landscaping ‘down to areas that are typically dark and convoluted’.
move up the tower by elevator, this view is what they see with each stop. “It’s still a big hospital, but it feels like you know where you are at all times,” said George Bitsakakis. Patient care also plays out in the way
rooms were designed. Upon entering, sliding wood panels seamlessly conceal ‘scary’ medical equipment and declutter the area. Natural light streaming from floor-to-ceiling windows in the critical care
Vegetated bioswales sprout through the large asphalt sheet of the parking lot as a way to capture, treat, and infiltrate stormwater run-off, and replenish it back into the water table.
rooms helps patients heal and recover, as moveable technologies allow care teams to rotate beds to outdoor views. Outside, walking trails loop around the facility for patients and staff to wander and reflect. They also extend to the single-family residential neighbourhood that lies directly behind the hospital to the north, one element that made for a complicated site. “It was quite a challenge,” said George Bitsakakis. “With the housing behind it, we
wanted to make sure we gave something back, that we were a good neighbour, and gave them an amenity they didn’t have.”
A view of the power behind the hospital Two local requirements for the completed design were to take extra care of the parking garage and facility plant, which are located directly near the neighbourhood. The central utility plant was built with the same materials used for the hospital. It includes custom perforated screens that are bent to capture the light, and large walls of glass that bring educational views to the public. “People can walk around it and get a sense of what it takes to power up a hospital – it’s not a small thing,” said George Bitsakakis. “Most people have never seen equipment like this.” Vegetated bioswales sprout through
the large asphalt sheet of the parking lot as a way to capture, treat, and infiltrate stormwater run-off, and replenish it back into the water table. Nature also presents itself in the green roofs that top every building where, over time, planting will grow to hide the mechanical equipment.
“That natural light is both obvious and intuitive,” said George Bitsakakis. “If you walk in and always have the light coming from one direction, your body (will) adjust and orient itself.”
28 Health Estate Journal May 2022
Smarter care Technology factors into patient comfort at the first smart hospital in Canada, and is subtly woven into care teams’ daily workflows. As Mackenzie Health says, smart technology ultimately becomes a digital member of the care team, offering a crystal ball into a patient’s healthcare journey. Given more control, patients are involved in their own care. They can select meals, manage room settings, and access
Courtesy of Tom Arban
Courtesy of Tom Arban
Courtesy of Tom Arban
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