Topping off SickKids’ Patient Support Centre
By Adam Freill
Construction Health & Safety InstitutionalNew 22-storey tower at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children places emphasis on staff wellbeing while housing critical training resources.
(Photo courtesy of B+H)
Global design and consulting firm B+H, the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and PCL Construction celebrated the topping off for the new SickKids Patient Support Centre (PSC) this week. The design for the 22-storey tower, located on the SickKids campus in Toronto’s Discovery District, is centred on creating a workplace environment that prioritizes staff and learner wellbeing, while housing critical educational, training and administrative resources for the hospital.
Once complete, the PSC will serve as an integrated workplace for SickKids staff and learners, one that blurs the lines between indoors and outdoors, health care, office, retail and urban design.
“Working alongside SickKids to create a forward-looking environment that is firmly rooted in its community and a distinct new addition to Toronto’s urban fabric was an immensely rewarding experience,” stated Patrick Fejer, CEO at B+H.
The new facility’s design features a range of light-filled workspaces and common areas, collaborative neighbourhood hubs, and a rooftop patio located on the 22nd floor where staff, learners, caregivers and others can enjoy a moment of reprieve and quiet in the outdoors.
To further strengthen the building’s connection to nature, biophilic design strategies were integrated throughout the building. The design also includes a series of ‘enhanced wellness rooms’ that include comfortable seating, storage, a mini fridge and sink. These single-occupant, staff-only areas are intended to support a diverse array of needs to support of mental and physical wellbeing.
“We are thrilled to be celebrating the topping off, and can’t wait to walk through the doors of this building for the first time,” said Peter Goldthorpe, vice-president at the Hospital for Sick Children. “As an organization, we are really embracing flexible design, better access to natural light, and more collaborative spaces to take our staff wellbeing to the next level. The PSC is the first exciting step on our way to building a new SickKids. It’s a very bright future indeed!”
The PSC will be the new home of the SickKids Learning Institute, which supports more than a thousand world-class trainees, students and learners annually. Additionally, the building will contain a state-of-the-art Simulation Centre for hands-on teaching in a bright, modern workspace for professionals, management and support staff.
“We are incredibly proud to be celebrating this monumental moment alongside SickKids, SickKids Foundation, our partners and the hundreds of tradespeople who have been integral in bringing this project to life,” stated Monique Buckberger, vice-president and district manager of PCL Toronto. “Topping off the Patient Support Centre is much more than a construction milestone. It is a representation of each team member’s personal connection to SickKids, as well as our shared passion and drive for delivering this impactful project for the community.”
