Bloorview Kids Rehab Case Study: Cultivating a Sense of Place
Terry Montgomery, OAA, FRAIC
Principal,
Montgomery Sisam Architects
Canada
(Click to download full paper)
Background
Bloorview Kids Rehab is Canada’s largest pediatric rehabilitation and complex continuing care teaching hospital. Bloorview’s work covers the full spectrum from clinical care and treatment to assistive technologies and rehab therapies, to creative arts, education and research. Completed in 2006, Bloorview provides tangible evidence that attitudes are changing about health and design. The overarching vision for the building was to create a sense of place and well being within the city for children, their families and staff. The new hospital building not only provides an environment for healing and rehabilitation, it also served as a catalyst for the mending and enrichment of the surrounding urban fabric.
Objective
Good buildings result from a fortuitous convergence of many factors. The paper will identify these factors and illustrate how they influenced the ultimate design of Bloorview. It will focus in particular on “the supportive design of common spaces” to establish more precisely what is meant by “a sense of place”. Finally the paper will look at how the design of the building has helped “to enhance the organisational image for Bloorview.”
Method
1. Review of the essential conditions that allowed for the creation of a new vision including: the successful amalgamation of two organisations and two cultures; support from the funding agency; early recognition that a rich and varied social context was as important as good medicine; a commitment to integrated programs; a commitment to working with municipal planners and neighbourhood groups.
2. Analysis of how the building is shaped around its common spaces. There is not a singular monumental space, but a series of spaces which are an integral part of the life of the hospital. Interior spaces include a family resource centre, a “bridge”, a viewing gallery, a cafeteria, and creative arts studio. Exterior spaces include a variety of outdoor terraces, an active forecourt as well as the Spiral Garden. Interior and exterior spaces are carefully integrated. Public art within these spaces will be described.
3. An evaluation of the ways in which the new building has enhanced the image of Bloorview, attracting attention in the wider community and raising awareness of the potential for rehabilitation to improve the lives of children and youth with disabilities.
Conclusion
A summary of lessons learned at Bloorview, which might be applied to other new healthcare projects, particularly those in an urban setting. These include a check list of essential conditions at the outset of the project, a shared commitment to the value of meaningful public space both interior and exterior, and ultimately the boost that a successful building can bring to an organisation and its programs.
Keywords: rehabilitation for children and youth, potential, sense of place, integration
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