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OCTOBER 2015 | 85 Ron Joyce Children's Health Centre RENDERING COURTESY STANTEC ARCHITECTURE LTD. Ron Joyce Children's Health Centre by NATALIE BRUCKNER-MENCHELLI T he Ron Joyce Children's Health Centre in Hamilton, Ontario – funded by the Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services in joint venture with Infrastructure Ontario – is a project that will go down in history for many reasons. Firstly, it is believed to be the only centre of its kind in Canada to offer these combined services for children and youth under one roof. The Centre will be home to the Autism Spectrum Disorder Program, Developmental Pediatrics and Rehabilitation Program, Child and Youth Mental Health Program and the Prosthetics and Orthotics Service where more than 70,000 patient visits are expected each year. Some of the services, such as Prosthetics and Orthotics, and Audiology, part of the Developmental Pediatrics and Rehabilitation Program, as well as the Technology Access Clinic also serve adults. Secondly, the project's team was able to build a working health centre on a tight timeline of just over 17 months, according to David Gibson from PCL, the design-build-finance contractor. And thirdly, the entire team, including the 25-plus user working groups who were actively involved from day one, have enthusiastically participated through- out the entire collaborative process. The four-storey Centre (plus pent- house) has been built on Wellington St reet across f rom t he Reg ional Rehabilitation Centre. "We really con- sidered the orientation of the building on the site," says Randi Robicheau, man- ager of special projects and integration, developmental services at McMaster Children's Hospital. "It's on a busy street and intuitively one might expect you would position the front entrance as you come off the street, but because we are a child and family facility, the building is actually turned away from the street and the entrance is protected to make it safer and quieter." It was as if the building was always meant to be. The goals and vision for the Centre were clear from the begin- ning: "First and foremost we wanted the Centre to be a patient and family-cen- tred building; for the space to be com- fortable and intuitive to navigate. We wanted to create a Centre that promotes wellness and is uplifting for patients and staff," says Robicheau. For the exterior of the building Stantec Architecture Ltd., opted for a combination of red and black brick, Ontario limestone at key building ele- ments, and generous glazing to provide an abundance of daylight and great views to the surrounding landscape. The proportion of windows maximizes view opportunity while also providing future planning flexibility to stand the test of time. Dynamic Glass was chosen that automatically changes tint accord- ing to light, which allowed for clean lines without window shadings. Head on inside and visitors are wel- comed by a five-storey lightwell; a real feature of the new Centre and the heart of the building. "When you walk in the front door there is a very clear north- south view corridor. On the one side of the building you have Hamilton harbour and the other side you see the escarpment. One of our goals was to have efficient flow and processes throughout the facil- ity. For example, when people come into the building they will access a centralized registration and scheduling area. This provides a one-stop process for those with multiple appointments, or those see- ing multiple programs," says Robicheau. Because each floor caters to differing needs, it was essential to provide a dis- tinction between them and yet allow the building to work as a whole. "We try to provide consistency and flow, while rec- ognizing that everyone isn't the same. Even the signage has unique colours on the floors but uses the same format and layout," says Robicheau. Light streams into the building from every angle due to the clever use of glazing, inside and out. "Natural light is being punched through the building giving it an open feeling," says Gibson. "We are thrilled with the amount of natural light that pours into the building through the floor to ceiling windows." enthuses Robicheau. Special attention to detail was paid to aspects such as the width of hallways to allow patients, no matter what their mobility, to easily get around. Gibson adds that sensitive equipment such as acoustic partitions were also used to minimize sound transference. "We used STC 55-65 rated doors that you prob- ably only usually find in recording stu- dios. In my 20-plus years with PCL I've never come across this for this kind of facility. Every consideration was made." W hen it came to sustainabilit y measures, the Centre went above and beyond. In fact, all members of the core user group took Lean training and have their Green Belt certification. As a LEED Silver targeted building, from the very outset measures were taken to ensure material was removed and recycled. An energy efficient air handling sys- tem was installed and each floor fea- tures a dedicated green space that not only enhances the vibrant nature of the building but acts as part of the rehabili- tation for each program. Head outside and the landscaping intent mirrors the building itself, provid- ing strong connections to the community, seamless transitions and transparency of the inside to the outside. "The objective of the landscape development is to create a barrier-free, welcoming environment that responds to the special needs of the clients, families, staff and visitors to the Centre," says Mary Jane Lovering, land- scape architect at Vertechs Design Inc. Landscape Architects. "To achieve our intended project goals, we employed a large array of land- scape design features. Each installation serves a purpose and is tailored to the space it inhabits. For example, in the Arrival Court – the first impression cli- ents and visitors have of the space – we used bollards to create a flat, curbless court; a multi-purpose space which can host Ron Joyce Children's Health Centre and community events, a designated space for public art and a large canopy for natural shade," adds Viive Kittask, princi- pal, Vertechs Design Inc. Landscape. Then there's the wheeling track that serves as a training ground for clients of all ages engaged in mobility train- ing, which features an attractive walk- way with flowering ornamental trees. The team at Vertechs worked on every aspect of the landscaping, from the exterior therapy space that provides a calming, introspective area and plant- ings that offer partial screenings while maintaining views for supervision, to the second level terrace that provides an extension of the training circuit formed by the interior hallways. Working with Vertechs, Earthscape designed and built a custom playground that is intended for therapeutic and rehabilitation purposes as well as recre- ational use. The multi-level playground is themed to represent the City of Hamilton including its iconic bridges, steel mills and Cootes Paradise. Play components engage children's senses, develop their kinesthetic awareness and abilities, and encourage social interaction. No matter who you speak to on this project, the enthusiasm is infectious. "I haven't come across a client that has been as passionate as the staff at McMaster Children's Hospital. They've shown so much pride and energy in the whole design-build process. It adds energy to our team when you're able to work with clients who share that. You get a better product because you've had all those voices involved throughout the entire process," says Gibson. To which Robicheau adds: "As users it has been incredible to be part of a process to inform how a building is designed and its purpose. We've had over 160 users directly involved in the process and it's been a very successful project in terms of stakeholder engagement. The people we serve deserve a building like this; a building that meets their needs. This is a beautiful facility where visitors can intu- itively and easily access the space. This is a place that matters. This is a place where people can be their best self." A LOCATION 325 Wellington Street North, Hamilton, Ontario OWNER/DEVELOPER McMaster Children's Hospital – Hamilton Health Sciences ARCHITECT Stantec Architecture Ltd. DESIGN-BUILD-FINANCE CONTRACTOR PCL Constructors Canada Inc. STRUCTURAL/ MECHANICAL/ELECTRICAL/CIVIL/ SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTANT MMM Group LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Vertechs Design Inc. Landscape Architects TOTAL SIZE 150,000 square feet TOTAL COST $90 million

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