Halifax, Nova Scotia
2001 (Conceptual Design)
Client: Life Sciences Development Association
Type: Research / Lab, Conceptual Design

Our role in this project was to develop the Statement of Requirements and conceptual design solution for a $400 million CDN complex that would physically integrate four tertiary level university teaching hospitals with a major expansion of Cancer Care facilities, the expansion of the Medical School, and the creation of a major Life Sciences Research Village. The challenge on this project was to design the facility so that it could advance Life Sciences Research in a way that it would be the catalyst for expansion of research capability while at the same time integrate the clinical and research activities of four major teaching hospitals, the University Medical School, and the existing facility for Medical Research.

There were a multitude of key stakeholders involved from these institutions plus numerous government agencies, both federal and provincial, and the National Research Council. The solution provided for the optimal use of a limited site and the interconnection with four existing structures in a way that facilitated interaction amongst researchers, educators, and clinical service providers. This included resolution of shared services for animal research, and provision for highly sophisticated equipment for a four teas functional MRA and Positron Emission Tomography with cyclotron. Class D estimates of construction, equipment, and project costs were developed as well as time tables for the phasing of the construction and, in conjunction with other consultants, a financial capital fundraising strategy was developed. The three-dimensional conceptual renderings of this facility have been used across Canada to promote the project to Government and private sector corporations.

At the same time, we were contracted to develop a Statement of Requirements and conceptual design for a major addition for Cancer Care Services at the Queen Elizabeth Health Sciences Centre. Cancer Care services are currently provided in a physical facility that is 25% of the size of the projected requirement to fulfill program needs. The programming and planning process was driven by the dramatically increasing volume of services, most of which involved optimizing accessibility to and efficient use of expensive linear accelerators.

Other issues involved the optimization of design relationships to facilitate effective use of staff and other equipment. The implementation of the Master Plan required investigation of seven options, identification of the advantages and disadvantages of each, combined with Class D cost estimates and analysis of the impact of phased construction on the ongoing provision of services. The preferred solution integrally links the provision of Cancer Care with Cancer Research and the Life Sciences Research Village project.