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J UNE 2016 | 73 PHOTOGRAPHY BY SARA JALALI/COURTESY INFRASTRUCTURE ONTARIO demolition of the old hospital and then construction of the phase two tower and podium that includes the atrium." Steiner adds, "It sounds straightforward on paper but was an incredibly complex undertaking. Because the site contained an operational hospital there had to be intense coordination between hospital administration and the builders; both parties communicated daily to minimize disturbances to staff and patients." For structural consultant CH2M Hill and electrical consultant Mulvey & Banani, the project wasn't so much one of unforeseen surprises as it was tackling the challenges inherent with the sheer scope and type of delivery method. "Our design was straightforward, but typically with projects like these the construction proceeded before our work was even halfway done," says Mulvey & Banani senior associate Ian Ma. "So we had to prioritize what was most required in order not to impede the schedule." The Mitchell Partnership was obliged to design a mechanical system for the tower of the new hospital that would also tie into and effortlessly accommodate the needs of the expanded facility upon completion of phase two. As for the challenges encountered by The Walsh Group and Bondfield Construction, they included everything from asbestos removal (for the old hospital) to working on a confined site. Monitors were installed in the old facility to sense vibrations during the construction process, as a way of ensuring that operational disturbance was minimized. Jayashri Deshmukh, senior associate for CannonDesign, points out that, "The physical limitations of the downtown site, along with the scale of the ambitious project being built while keeping the hospital's primary functions running, meant that the complexity of the project was anticipated very early in the project's evolution. Therefore a lot of time and user engagement was invested to allow the building's planning and design to be refined before ground broke in 2010." But of all the care and attention to detail expended to make Women's College unique, one element of the design, created by Susan Black, would quickly prove to be an iconic signature feature: a huge pink cube built during phase two of the project that was enclosed in fuchsia glass and intended to serve as a meeting space. Wood remarks, "It's a deceptively simple design, but once you see it you never forget it – which is exactly what an icon should be." To which Black adds, "The cube can be seen from far away, and where it sits we included the name of the hospital in huge dimensional glass letters, positioned in such a way that the name unfolds as you walk or drive by." The pink cube would also become part of an overall landscape design developed by Janet Rosenberg & Studio with a green roof and trees on top that could be appreciated by staff and patients in the upper levels of the clinical tower. Extensive green space was also allocated to the front of the hospital. Black, who as of April was still applying finishing touches to Women's College, noted that every aspect of the hospital tells patients "we belong to you," and adds, "and this is due to the foresight of the hospital and the incredible collaboration between the design and construction parties, all committed to outdoing themselves. We're very proud of the final result." A Women's College Hospital Redevelopment D E S I G N - B U I L D F I R E P R O T E C T I O N S Y S T E M S S I N C E 1 9 7 9 Proud of our participation in the Women's College Hospital Redevelopment project. 416-748-1175 | info@generalsprinklers.com www.generalsprinklers.com General Sprinklers.indd 1 16-05-11 2:12 PM ® A Force to be Wrecking With! www.priestly.ca 1-800-263-2076 Proud Demolition Contractor for the Women's College Hospital Redevelopment