Glace Bay, NS
1998
69,000 sq. ft.
Client: Cape Breton Healthcare Complex
Type: Institutional, New Construction
Beds: 67

Awards & Recognition: Nova Scotia Association of Architects / Lieutenant Governor's Award for Architecture - Award of Merit (1999)

The Glace Bay Long Term Care Facility is a new 49,000 square foot facility accommodating 67 residents on one floor level. The arrangement of two nursing units of three "neighborhoods" each, surrounding an exterior landscape courtyard, creates a more residential scale and enhances the homelike setting by encouraging friendships with "neighbors."

Each of the "neighborhoods", comprised of 9 to 12 bedrooms, is arranged around an open,central, skylit lounge area, visible from the nurse station. Numerous gathering spaces, varying in size and privacy are available for residents and their visitors. A conscious effort was made to introduce visual stimulation and incentives to movement. The "neighborhood" layout encourages walk therapy by providing numerous, visually distinctive destinations including the pleasant, safe exterior courtyard. This courtyard offers a great vista from the two dining rooms, the gathering room, and from the general areas of circulation within each unit. It also adds variety to the interior and lots of natural light to a large floor area.

The cluster arrangement maximizes staffing efficiency by minimizing travel time and allowing the staff to supervise three "neighborhoods" from each of the two central nurse stations.

The design responds to the need for privacy, community, choice and control in the residents' everyday environment. Washrooms are located on the exterior bedroom walls, allowing interior windows to offer the residents an awareness of activity in the corridor from the privacy and serenity of their bedrooms. These interior windows provide relief and variety in the corridor "streetscape," and offer nursing staff an opportunity to observe residents without entering the room.

The two-bedroom units are designed to allow each occupant to have equal access to exterior views, and the washroom without intrusion into the other's private space. They lend themselves to an ideal spousal arrangement with generous sleeping and sitting areas, each having exterior windows.

Bold use of contrast and bright colors enlivens the environment, aids in orientation, and facilitates movement.

Glace Bay Long Term Care Facility