The tower in Toronto combines sustainability, colour, and transparent materials to create connections between healthcare staff, patients, and the community
Within the campus of the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto stands the new Patient Support Centre (PSC), a 22-storey tower designed by B+H Architects that aims to redefine the standards of healthcare architecture and workplace environments.
The result of an interdisciplinary approach, the structure is not just a physical space but a symbol of the future in care, education, and medical research.
The building features a segmented façade entirely clad in glass, integrating vertically distributed volumes of varying dimensions. This design evokes dynamism and transparency, reflecting SickKids’ commitment to fostering connections between healthcare staff, patients, and the community through open and inclusive architecture.
he façade is further enhanced by vertical yellow and white elements that add visual depth and make the building easily recognizable from a distance.
Inside, the SickKids Learning Institute hosts over a thousand students, trainees, and healthcare professionals each year. Among its key spaces is the Simulation Centre, an innovative environment dedicated to practical training, where doctors, nurses, and administrative staff can refine their skills.
A suspended glass pedestrian bridge strategically connects the Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning (PGCRL) with the hospital’s main atrium, creating continuity between campus spaces.
The interiors are characterized by a palette of neutral tones paired with vibrant and bright colours, with dichroic glass walls creating fascinating light effects. Hanging installations made of colourful fragments add dynamism and originality to the entire structure.
At the heart of the project is the majestic ribbon staircase in concrete and blue glass, which flows through the entrance atrium, seamlessly connecting the various levels and spaces of the PSC.
From the transparent façade, the coloured staircases leading to different floors are visible, with shades ranging from pink to yellow, orange to green, creating a striking rainbow effect that makes the building unique and recognizable even from the outside.
The PSC is the first project to comply with Toronto's Tier 2 Building Standards, the highest recognition, establishing itself as a model of sustainable architecture. This achievement is further supported by the inclusion of terraced green roofs, which not only enhance energy efficiency but also provide relaxation spaces and a connection with the city for hospital staff.
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Location: Toronto, Canada
Completion: 2023
Gross Floor Area: 39.697 m²
Client: The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids)
Architecture, Interiors, & Landscape: B+H Architects
Construction Management: PCL Constructors Canada
Consultants
Vertical Transportation: KJA Consultants
Structural: Entuitive
Mechanical: The Mitchell Partnership
Electrical: Mulvey & Banani
Photography by Tom Arban / A Frame, courtesy of B+H Architects