​Concord Medical Cancer Hospital Proton Therapy Center. Courtesy of HDR Architecture Associates Inc.

By: Sarah Hartwick is the Communications Officer for The Ottawa Hospital.

If it were not for the four seasons in Ottawa, we would not have one of the most beautiful canals and the longest skating rink in the world – both in one place. This duality of weather extremes is a great example of what needs to be considered in The Ottawa Hospital's new Civic development.

"Design in our northern hemisphere requires us to balance the pragmatic with the idealistic in all that we do," said Jason-Emery Groën, Vice-President and Design Director at HDR Architecture Associates Inc., (pictured on the left) and lead architect for the new Civic development. "Hospital buildings in northern regions have periods between climactic extremes that call for simpler, more elemental design. Ottawa's climate requires our buildings to accommodate hot, humid summers as well as cold, dry winters. Our aim is to strive for a clear, elegant and elemental design, a celebration of the northern landscape and the beautiful site we get to build on."  

In addition to the weather, the quantity and quality of daylight changes dramatically throughout the year at Ottawa's latitude. The human response to daylight as a key influence on physical and emotional wellbeing, healing and humour was lost on last century hospitals, which were built on large floorplates that prioritized clinical function over patient care, without much access to natural light for anyone, let alone patients.  

"In older facilities, it was typical for hospital staff to never see 'the light of day,' or for patients to have access to daylight only in their rooms," Jason-Emery said. "In our homes, it was long conceived that the optimal position for a bedroom was to face east, while the dining or living room faced west. This was to make the best use of the sun's path relative to our daily habits. Natural light is a fundamental basis of life."

Jason-Emery is one member of the team from HDR, along with Vice-President Ingrid Felso (pictured below), and Associate Michael Ryan, working on the preliminary design to support the functional planning that is set for completion next month. Their design work is guided by HDR project executive George Langill, former CEO of the Royal Ottawa Health Care Group, and a renowned health administrator in the province of Ontario.

The seasoned architecture team is working on simplifying wayfinding in the new hospital, making it easier for patients, visitors and staff to orient themselves as they navigate the building by being able to see the exterior through windows that flood the interior with daylight.

"We want to create sweeping views of the exterior along major corridors and pathways inside the hospital," Ingrid pointed out. "We hope to create exterior pathways to access the hospital that are matched with parallel indoor walkways to provide a safe alternate route during inclement weather. The key here is to make each indoor and outdoor route equal as an amenity so that we offer variety and year-round choice but also a visual connection to the exterior while being protected within the facility."

Given the need for greater infection control, the design of the new Civic will segregate public and staff access areas, patient transfers, and service areas to minimize contact among the flow of people and goods throughout the facility. This separation fundamentally changes the organization of the hospital and offers new flexibility in hospital reconfiguration and adaptability in the future.

The new hospital will integrate principles of 'leadership in energy and environmental design,' an internationally-recognized green building certification system aimed at reducing CO₂ emissions and improving sustainability, energy savings, water efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.

The new design will accommodate 'architectural intelligence of the future,' contemporary diagnostic technology and testing, and digital connectivity to bring the best in virtual health care delivery to the bedside or to a remote community in the north.

"Our new hospital aims to seamlessly blend the efficiency of its functions with a contemporary approach to creating a beautiful environment befitting of our time," added Jason-Emery. "We believe that the site offers an amazing opportunity to create a place for wellness and convalescence, a facility that is truly designed to improve the human condition, and a landmark that will enhance one of the most beautiful sites in the nation's capital."