Western Memorial Regional Hospital

Corner Brook, NL

As a major regional healthcare centre, the new hospital will be a civic landmark inspired by what makes Western Newfoundland and the Corner Brook community unique – a connected, caring community cradled by dramatic landscapes.

The new seven-storey, 55,741-square-meter hospital is connected to the 145-bed long-term care facility that was also constructed by Marco. It has 164 beds and will offer the same services currently provided at Western Memorial Regional Hospital, as well as an expanded cancer care program that includes including radiation services.

Design features

The Building’s design has drawn inspiration from Western Newfoundland’s regional geology and vernacular architecture to shape architecture that is rooted in place. The massing of its primary volumes mirrors the layered rolling landforms of the landscapes of Western Newfoundland.

The articulation of the building envelope has been strongly driven by maximizing daylight and views, as a result the buildings public areas are highly transparent and welcome visitors in during the day and become glowing destinations by night. At the key clinical departments on Level 0, tall windows align with patient therapy bays to frame west-facing views out into the therapy gardens, the City and valley beyond.

On Level 1 of the podium the public areas have been framed with long strip windows to allow views in as well as out of the facility, creating warm and welcoming scenes of space. The fenestration on the upper levels are organized to align with the programmatic needs while still providing access to an abundant amount of daylight into the inpatient units, and providing views to the landscape beyond.

Innovations

The design features an effective horizontal and vertical circulation system, clinical adjacencies, segregation of flow, integration of building systems, optimized sightlines and intuitive wayfinding. The result is compact, functional design which minimizes distances for clinicians, nurses, and housekeeping staff, allowing for time to be better spent caring for patients.

As part of the goal of delivering value added design features, a geothermal heating and cooling system is provided as the primary heating and cooling source. While at a higher capital cost, this system significantly reduces the Facility’s electrical consumption and demand, providing for significant financial savings over the life of the Facility.

The Project Team Members Include:
• Developer | Plenary Group
• Design-Builder | PCL Constructors Canada Inc./Marco Group (joint venture)
• Architect | B+H Architects/Parkin (joint venture)
• Facilities Management | Johnson Controls Inc.
• Mechanical/Electrical Subcontractors | Cahill/Plan (joint venture)
• Mechanical/Electrical Consultants | Smith + Andersen
• Structural Consultant | WSP