June 17, 2026

The design of BC Children's Hospital Centre for Health Complexity is featured in the Globe and Mail in an article by David McPherson.

As the first-of-its-kind in Canada, the 166,000-square-foot facility will serve children and youth up to 19 years old with complex healthcare needs that require constant care and usually affect multiple body functions. It will include 16 patient suites, each with two rooms and a shared ensuite, offering children and their families a comfortable space for short-term, non-acute overnight stays. Aiming to bridge gaps in the healthcare and social services continuum, the centre will provide care coordination, family counselling, and peer support.

Managed by Ledcor as the design-build partner, with Diamond Schmitt as lead architects and Connect Landscape Architecture in charge of the physical terrain, the facility is designed as a welcoming and warm environment, prioritizing the experience of patients and caregivers alike. "We wanted to get away from the clinical feel of traditional hospitals with fundamental changes to the interior design to better fit the end experience of its users," says Duncan Bates, Senior Associate at Diamond Schmitt. One of the many unique features that makes the new centre feel welcoming is the "treehouse" — a gathering place at the top of a gently-graded, three-level accessible ramp that spirals around the atrium. "This is a dynamic space that encourages opportunities for moments of serendipitous discovery," says Bates.

Targeting LEED Gold, the project prioritizes environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, and healthy indoor environments. Exposed wood and mass timber construction bring warmth to the building while reducing its embodied carbon. Inside, the design emphasizes wellness through a balance of artwork, calming hues, and inclusive communal spaces. These include "the treehouse"—a gathering place at the top of a gently graded, three-level accessible ramp that spirals around the atrium to encourage moments of serendipitous discovery—as well as a teaching kitchen designed to support caregivers with medical and nutritional education, and enclosed terraces oriented toward the surrounding mountains. Additionally, an adjacent one-storey, 74-space daycare will be open to the broader community.

From the outset, designers built real-size mock-ups so patients, caregivers, and families could experience the spaces firsthand and provide input on everything from furniture style and furnishings to plug placement and storage. Ongoing input from clinicians, staff, and designers shaped the project throughout.

Read the full article at The Globe and Mail.