Sherbourne Health Centre
Toronto, Ontario
The Sherbourne Health Centre (SHC) was established to offer innovative, culturally sensitive healthcare services to a broad range of clients who face physical, social and emotional barriers in finding appropriate and respectful medical services within the traditional healthcare system.
IBI Group Architects and Interiors collaboratively employed an adaptive re-use approach to renovate an existing structure to actualize the new paradigm for providing healthcare services. The design team worked closely with SHC to maximize interior daylighting, views to nature, to promote building legibility and navigation by circulation paths that were broken down into neighbourhoods and interior streetscapes that were defined by coloured floor patterns to aid in wayfinding. A feeling of elegance, warmth and drama was created by the generous use of bright, welcoming colours. Many of the fears associated with entering a hospital were mitigated by the transparent entry façade which was designed to communicate a sense of openness and to allow clients to enter at their own pace.
This careful consideration of architectural and interior features has provided a calming effect and an awareness of the surrounding environment to both clients and staff.
| winner of the ARIDO 2007 Award of Merit |
|
