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CancerCare Manitoba

Smith Carter, as prime consultant, provided complete architectural, structural and electrical engineering (in joint venture) services including design, contract documents, and contract administration for this major addition and redevelopment of CancerCare Manitoba. The new facility fits within an existing ‘campus’ comprising the Health Sciences Centre, Winnipeg’s largest tertiary care medical centre. Clinic, treatment and research laboratory functions are expanded to create a centralized high-quality outpatient facility for all of Manitoba.

The paramount challenges relative to the building environment were to provide a clear circulation order in a patient-focused healing environment, while ensuring the availability of natural light. These tenets help contribute to removing the intimidation often associated with cancer treatment.

Clinic and outpatient facilities are located on the first four floors. The lower and main levels include radiation treatment, reception and patient areas which face a courtyard and anchor a terraced multi-storey atrium. Waiting areas are contained in a variety of daylit alcoves. The second floor houses staff offices, medical records, multi-purpose conference theatre, seminar rooms, School of Radiation Therapy, and medical physics. The third floor contains the chemotherapy area and the shared pediatric clinic. The chemotherapy component is completely private from adjacent areas, and has ample daylight, as well as access to the roof of the building as a deck for use during the warmer months. Pediatric areas are separately configured to address the special needs of children.

The laboratory components for the Manitoba Institute of Cell Biology occupy the fifth and sixth floors, and are designed on a footprint accommodating exceptional flexibility for open, modular laboratory space. The concept of a visually open, interactive environment was paramount for the Institute to foster a dynamic and collaborative environment for diverse and ever changing research programs.