{"id":15508,"date":"2025-07-22T13:34:09","date_gmt":"2025-07-22T13:34:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/15508\/"},"modified":"2025-07-22T13:34:09","modified_gmt":"2025-07-22T13:34:09","slug":"hospital-set-to-transform-canadian-health-care-design","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/15508\/","title":{"rendered":"Hospital set to transform Canadian health care design"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The $3.6-billion South Niagara Hospital (SNH) is currently under construction and is on track to become Canada\u2019s first WELL-certified hospital. Scheduled to open in 2028, it will bring the Niagara Region\u2019s existing medical services under one roof to promote better capacity and access to care.Supplied\/95degree<\/p>\n

The new 1.3-million-square-foot South Niagara Hospital (SNH) under construction in Niagara Falls, Ont., is on track to become Canada\u2019s first WELL-certified<\/a> hospital, signalling a new era of patient-centric, wellness-focused health care design. <\/p>\n

The $3.6-billion project will centralize the Niagara Region\u2019s existing medical services into one facility for better community care, capacity and access. When it opens in the summer of 2028, the SNH will include 469 single-patient rooms, adding 154 more hospital beds to the region, as well as a 24\/7 emergency department and specialized units dedicated to complex care, stroke treatment and wellness in aging. <\/p>\n

The new beds will be a welcome addition to Ontario\u2019s health care system. According to a 2024 report<\/a> from the Ontario Hospital Association, the province has minimal hospital beds per capita compared to other provinces and countries, ranking second-lowest in Canada at 2.28 hospital beds per 1,000 people. <\/p>\n

This underscores the broader pressures facing the Canadian health care system. In another 2024 report<\/a>, the Canadian Institute for Health Information acknowledged that \u201cCanada\u2019s publicly-funded health care systems, long a source of pride, are facing unprecedented strain.\u201d It found that 281 of every 100,000 Canadians under 75 years of age were admitted to the hospital in 2023-24 for an issue that may have otherwise been avoided with access to appropriate community care such as family doctors and other primary care providers. <\/p>\n

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The SNH will include 469 single-patient rooms, adding 154 more hospital beds to Niagara Region. The additions come at a time when Ontario needs it most as the province ranks second-lowest in Canada at 2.28 hospital beds per 1,000 people.Supplied\/95degree<\/p>\n

Get well soon <\/p>\n

While hospitals are inherently places of healing, their past visions and designs did not reflect this purpose. Sterile walls, dimly lit corridors, limited access to natural light and cafeterias offering few healthy food choices were the norm. <\/p>\n

However, data show<\/a> that Canada\u2019s health care facilities must adapt to an aging population with longer life expectancies, driving demand for modern, patient-centric spaces. This is part of what will make the new 12-storey, WELL-certified SNH so unique. <\/p>\n

WELL takes a holistic approach that goes beyond design, integrating the broader architectural vision into an organization\u2019s overall operations, policies and corporate culture. Its performance-based certification system combines design and construction best practices with evidence-based scientific research to support the health and well-being of everyone who uses the building. This is achieved by focusing on 10 key elements: air, water, nourishment, light, movement, thermal comfort, sound, materials, mind and community. <\/p>\n

The WELL certification is currently being used in 137 countries and nearly 100,000 locations. In Canada, nearly 3,500 locations in a variety of industries are engaging with WELL, with the health care sector adopting the standard at a fast pace. <\/p>\n

\u201cWELL is transforming the state of commercial real estate worldwide and generating economic impacts that touch millions of people\u2019s lives by supporting their physical and mental health and well-being in meaningful and measurable ways,\u201d Prateek Khanna, the International WELL Building Institute\u2019s chief operating officer, said in a July<\/a> news release. <\/p>\n

Research has shown the benefits of WELL-certified buildings, too, with a 2022 study<\/a> finding that occupants in WELL-certified spaces reported a 28-per-cent improvement in workplace satisfaction, a 10-point increase in median productivity scores, as well as a 26-per-cent increase in well-being. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe spend a lot of time in buildings, so it\u2019s important to make sure we create spaces that help support everyone in that space,\u201d says Izabela Cawricz, director of interiors, furniture, fixtures and equipment at SNH. \u201cIf our employees are feeling better due to amenities like access to daylight, better food options, quiet places for a quick respite, etc., that will help them deliver better patient care.\u201d <\/p>\n

More than a building <\/p>\n

When designing the SNH, the project\u2019s architect considered several factors to ensure the functionality, longevity and safety of everyone in the building, says Sohail Akhtar, senior associate at Parkin Architects, one of the firms that helped design the facility alongside Adamson Associates Architects and a number of other stakeholders.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe WELL approach links the attributes of the physical environment to improve occupant safety, wellness and satisfaction,\u201d Mr. Akhtar says. \u201cCollaboration meetings were arranged between designers, hospital staff and the construction team to make sure the design met the seven core principles \u2013 air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort and mind.\u201d <\/p>\n

Parkin\u2019s wellness-first design prioritizes natural light and visual connections to the outside world by incorporating art, large atriums and feature stairs. \u201cWe\u2019ve incorporated biophilic elements like a cyanotype artwork in the ambulatory care entrance that brings the outside in,\u201d Mr. Akhtar says. \u201cThe color palette and art selections \u2013 including an Indigenous creation story installation \u2013 are deliberately chosen to create a calming, supportive environment.\u201d <\/p>\n

The hospital will also feature 14 gardens and terraces throughout the building, along with numerous outdoor walking paths and trails that meander around the 50-acre property. <\/p>\n

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The SNH\u2019s wellness-first design prioritizes natural light and visual connections to the outside world by incorporating art, large atriums and feature stairs. Its grounds also include 14 gardens and terraces, along with numerous outdoor walking paths and trails.Supplied\/95degree<\/p>\n

Putting people first <\/p>\n

Another way the SNH will aim to improve the health and well-being of its occupants is by focusing on its people. <\/p>\n

Workstations are set to be laid out in an open-concept design, with sit-to-stand ergonomic desks. There will also be plenty of rest areas with fireplaces to support staff well-being. <\/p>\n

When it comes to the property\u2019s artwork, much is set to be installed to promote occupants\u2019 healing. The building will feature hundreds of strategically placed pieces, which are intended to provide positive distractions and support mental health. This aligns with research<\/a>, which has shown that visual art \u2013 especially images of nature \u2013 can have positive effects on health outcomes, potentially resulting in shorter hospital stays, increased pain tolerance and decreased anxiety. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe layout itself promotes movement with wide, main-street corridors and a dedicated walking track on the third floor that serves both patients and staff,\u201d Mr. Akhtar says. \u201cWe also created two wellness stairs with engaging graphics that span three levels of the atrium to encourage people to take the stairs rather than the elevator.\u201d <\/p>\n

Beyond WELL-certification, the SNH is registered with the Canada Green Building Council and aims to achieve a LEED Silver certification. The two share complementary goals and similar certification processes, with a common focus on promoting human health and enhancing a building\u2019s community impact. <\/p>\n

\u201cParkin\u2019s entire approach to health care design goes beyond traditional hospital design by treating the building as an active participant in healing and wellness,\u201d Mr. Akhtar says. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve moved away from the sterile, clinical environment to create spaces that support mental and physical health. We hope architects can also learn from the project and apply this design approach to other sectors.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Open this photo in gallery: The $3.6-billion South Niagara Hospital (SNH) is currently under construction and is on…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":15509,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[1401,13754,1397,49,48,13758,13763,13756,84,392,13761,13760,13765,13757,13759,13753,13755,13764,13762],"class_list":["post-15508","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-healthcare","tag-adveditorial","tag-advpropertyreport","tag-appwebview","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-canada-hospital-design","tag-canadas-first-well-hospital","tag-canadian-hospitals","tag-health","tag-healthcare","tag-hospital-design-ontario","tag-niagara-hospital","tag-niagara-hospital-well-certified","tag-ontario-hospitals","tag-parkin-architects","tag-property-report","tag-south-niagara-hospital","tag-well-building-certification","tag-well-certification"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15508","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15508"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15508\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15509"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15508"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15508"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15508"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}