Project Sectors
HISTORY
The University of Alberta Hospital is a world-renowned facility, servicing over 880,000 patients in the 2020 to 2021 year, with over 62,000 of these patients coming from outside of the Edmonton region (and over 8,000 of these from outside of Alberta). As one of Canada's leading clinical, research, and teaching hospitals, UAH is a beacon of medical care excellence and the atrium space is part of this identity. The UAH provides services for many things such as a 24/7 emergency department, hematology, colonoscopy, social services, and spiritual care among many other services. This makes it a public space for range of ages, genders, and mobility ability.
VISION
The Atrium itself is a public area within the hospital where patients, staff, families, and children use the space on a daily basis. The vision for the project was to improve the patient and family experience, increase utilization of the existing space, increase the number of cultural activities, improve patient mobility and clinical outcomes and reduce stress for surgical patients and families. The space also improves the wellbeing of staff and physicians by giving them a refuge from what can be a hectic hospital environment.
WELCOMING PATIENTS AND FAMILIES
The project aims to create a welcoming space that is focused on uplifting the experience of patients and their families and that is a safe space for all users, at all times of day. The Atrium is a destination that is full of nature, living plants, natural light, and biophilic design to support holistic well-being. Equitable, inclusive, and accessible for all persons, the new Atrium considers those with mobility, visual, or hearing challenges and showcases the diversity of different beliefs, cultures, and backgrounds that make up the mosaic of multiculturalism in the Edmonton region.
A HAVEN INSPIRED BY EDMONTON
One of the main attractions and natural beauties of Edmonton is the river valley. It serves as a unique and inspiring design inspiration, with its meandering waters, diverse flowers, plants, and breathtaking landscapes. The Atrium design is derived from these paths, colours, and textures, creating a sense of natural beauty and tranquility.
The design team modelled the trees after two tree species significant to Amisk wachee was-sky-ikan (Edmonton), and they both speak to strength and survival. Poplars dot the perimeter of the woods, chosen because they were the earliest trees to grow in the Boreal forest. They were among the few native species that survived the introduction of invasive species into the area by early colonisers. Also present is the Lodgepole Pine, Alberta's provincial tree. This species is important to the Boreal forest of Amisk wachee was-sky-ikan, and to the Indigenous people who use almost every part of the tree, from its branches to its roots. The Lodgepole Pine was also chosen for its tenacity, as it is one of the first species to repopulate an area after a forest fire.
