The Cypress Health Region has selected aodbt architecture + interior design of Saskatoon to provide architectural consulting and design services for the new integrated healthcare facility in Leader. aodbt was chosen from among many applicants to join the project planning team.
Architectural design firms are an essential component of the project planning team. They will actively participate with the staff, patient family representatives, community members, and the Cypress Health Region throughout the design and construction phases of the capital project.
The capital project will include an addition to the existing Western Senior Citizens Home and renovations to the Home to accommodate the addition. Construction of spaces for acute care, community health, primary health care clinic, and emergency medical services will be included in the project. As the project architect, aodbt will be requested to design and integrate the new building’s structural, mechanical, and electrical systems to accommodate changing internal space as required. As well, the design of the building is expected to truly integrate the staff and programs/services under one roof.
Brenda Schwan, Cypress Health’s Executive Director of Human Resources and Capital Project Lead, is pleased that the project will now be further continuing into the design phase. “Cypress Health has worked with aodbt on other capital projects in the past and we have built a strong working relationship,” said Schwan. “This integrated building project will require innovative design to reflect the collective needs for all of the services that will be provided under one roof.”
“The aodbt team and our engineering group are very excited to be working with the Cypress Health Region again,” commented Charles Olfert, Principal Architect with aodbt architecture + interior design. “We have recently planned quite a number of integrated health facilities, so we know that each site is special and presents unique challenges and opportunities. We have already started developing some ideas and are looking forward to applying Lean planning processes to move this project forward very quickly in 2015.”
With the architectural services contract now awarded to aodbt, the planning and design phases will begin to pick up speed. A Lean 3P (Production, Preparation, Processing) event is being held in early January which will utilize the information collected in a functional planning exercise in 2011 and a recent ‘value stream mapping’ exercise which followed patients at the Leader Hospital and Primary Health Care Clinic.
Following the 3P event, the design team will move into the ‘schematic design’ phase which will then lead into the development of the final design for the integrated facility. During these phases, there will be many consultations held with staff, medical team members, patients, family members, and the general public to ensure that their feedback becomes a vital component of the planning.
It is anticipated that construction document preparation will begin in May 2015 and a tender for general contractor services will be distributed in August 2015.
The Cypress Health Region will join the community and surrounding areas in looking forward to the expected start of construction in September 2015. “This capital project is another prime example of the regional and provincial emphasis on providing innovative health care close to home,” added Schwan. “This project is the result of a tremendous partnership with the community and municipal councils, and we can’t wait for the next steps towards construction.”