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renderings courtesy Stantec Architecture Inc. Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health – UBC by Stacey McLachlan s the population ages, instances of neurological disorders and mental illness increase, so the UBC Hospital's latest addition, the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health, is a timely one. Operationally integrated with the existing Brain Research Centre, Institute for Mental Health and Department of Psychiatry and Division of Neurology facilities, the new Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health will offer research space and clinics as well as academic and administrative offices, all dedicated to prevent, understand the causes and treat the consequences of brain dysfunction. For the first time, patients and researchers of neuroscience, neurology and psychiatry will meet under one roof. "There are very few buildings like this," says David Knight, general contractor for Heatherbrae Builders. "It's a research facility with a future-ready learning centre." The Centre for Brain Health's unique "whole brain" approach encompasses both the philosophy and day-today operations of the project. Neuroscience and psychiatric disorders, typically treated separately, will be studied and treated together at the Centre. It will allow the integration of research and patient care, and encourage collaboration between clinicians and researchers. Inside the five-storey Centre for Brain Health, the two lower floors play host to patients and doctors while the top two storeys are where research will happen. The level in-between houses shared offices, meeting and support spaces, and a soaring internal atrium connects all the spaces. A Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health – UBC p56-59Djavad Mowafaghian.indd 57 "Ideally, there will be a seamless transition from discovery to treatment," explains Craig Knight, development manager and analyst for UBC Properties Trust. "The brain is an area of growing science. There was a previous brain health centre at UBC, but this is a whole new vision." Stantec Architecture Inc. took design inspiration from brain synapses; the vast connections that allow information to travel between different parts of the brains. The building creates connections between different types of users. Esthetically, the Centre reflects this mixed department experiment – two building grids merge in the middle to become one. "The building is basically a T-shape. At the T between the second and third level the structural grid actually changes to reflect the user requirements," Craig Knight explains. The research floors are based on a traditional lab layout, while downstairs offers an open floor plan for the clinic area. This layout provides ample space for exam and consultation rooms, a brain tissue and DNA sample bank, MRI capabilities, lab benches and a conference centre. Some of the spaces also double as teaching facilities for the UBC Faculty of Medicine. The primary laboratories are situated around the edges and are visible to the public, showcasing the Centre's research components and offering visual transparency. Simple wayfinding – straight-forward circulation paths, clear signage and short corridors – helps brain health patients avoid mental and physical stress, while ample seating areas offer space for rest. august 2013 /57 13-07-12 2:33 PM