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BEFORE PHOTO: Architecture Counsel Inc.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/a><\/a><\/a> <\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\nBeck, a specialist in pre-design documentation and schematic programming, led the Ontario HIV Network in an eight-month design phase that involved as many as 17 stakeholder organizations that provided input. \u201cWhen we started with this project it was titled a gay men\u2019s health clinic; that\u2019s how we had it listed in our server,\u201d he recalls. \u201cAnd everyone was uncomfortable at first. Employees and consultants asked if that was a proper name. Ultimately, the goal here was to redefine what gay men\u2019s health care means.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once the programming stage of design was wrapping up, a location was needed to put it all together. A prominent historical building one block from the epicenter of Toronto\u2019s gay culture seemed a good fit. 790 Bay Street is a modernist building built in 1959 and designed by the celebrated Toronto architect, Peter Dickinson. The Women\u2019s Health College purchased the distressed office building in the early 1980s and created what is still believed to be the largest clinical health-care building in Canada. A 9,000-square-foot vacant space on the eighth floor was to become HQ Toronto\u2019s home. Beck describes the rigid rectilinear white box space as a \u201cforest of columns\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Beck, the design process was a long conversation with the organization to understand everything the facility needed to offer. Flexible spaces were required that could accommodate a range of activities\u2014from clinical rooms to one-on-one counseling and group activities. \u201cIt may have ended up being a rectilinear drywall maze if our firm hadn\u2019t been able to have these early, rigorous discussions with the client,\u201d Beck remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
WARM AND INVITING<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
The architects were challenged to take a rectilinear space and create a free-flowing area with natural light penetrating deep within. One of the design cues that Beck drew from was Woodland Art, a regional art style made famous by the works of Norval Morrisseau, an Indigenous Canadian artist. His artwork inspired the shapes of the spaces, particularly the consultation rooms in the entry area that take on a bird\u2019s eye look in plan and are shaped by the custom-made stained white oak fins that give a sense of flow and direction to the entry. The wood\u2019s warm tones provide visual punctuation to the interior\u2019s mostly neutral color palette.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The existing structure was a challenge to the design team. \u201cWe had to figure out what to do
to hide all the structural columns,\u201d Beck recalls. \u201cWith well thought-out planning of wall and element placement, we were able to visually hide almost every column. If you look at the space now, you don\u2019t even notice them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe interior design is subtle. Neutral walls, ceilings and floors act as canvases for the artwork on display. Throughout HQ Toronto, the art displays enliven the space. All the art pieces are a celebration of gay culture and rotate at various times of the year, bringing a fresh look with every new installation. \u201cYou won\u2019t find brightly colored accent walls and splashy colors. The intent was to let the art pieces speak for themselves,\u201d Beck explains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
From the onset, one of the design\u2019s central themes was the idea of including the Indigenous, or First Nations, culture, a group that has historically lacked resources for health care. \u201cOne of the wishes of the stakeholders was to have the ability to perform smudging ceremonies [which involve the burning of sacred herbs], an integral part of the Indigenous culture for spiritual cleansing,\u201d Beck says. \u201cIt\u2019s rare to have the ability to perform smudging in one space. HQ Toronto was designed o have three separate spaces where the ceremonies can be performed. As you might imagine, it\u2019s taxing on the HVAC system to have that ability, especially from a fresh-air standpoint\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The existing building suffers from undersized HVAC systems. Duct size and minimum ceiling heights became a driving factor in the design. According to Beck, it took an immense coordination effort to make the ductwork details work out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to providing health care, the capabilities of HQ Toronto\u2019s clinical lab are impressive. This is one of the only clinics in the world that can perform rapid HIV testing, which takes specialized equipment and technology. A patient can receive results in as little as 24 hours. \u201cOne of the most agonizing things if you suspect you may have contracted HIV is waiting for lab results,\u201d Beck notes. \u201cTraditionally HIV testing results can take two to three weeks to receive. With the capabili- ties of this lab, a patient knows within 24 hours, which spares them weeks of agony.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A NEW FORM OF CARE<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
For Beck, the most rewarding aspect of the design was creating an entirely new program of holistic health care for the GBTQ community that didn\u2019t exist before. Beck comments that taking a mundane rectilinear existing space and creating something new and interesting provided a great sense of accomplishment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOverall the design and construction process went fairly smoothly,\u201d he says. \u201cWe had a good client that was good at being a listener and asked all the right questions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When asked about the construction schedule, Beck notes that it took 18 months to complete the construction. \u201cWe could have easily shaved six months off the schedule, but construction took place during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. As it did most everywhere at that time, construction came to a grinding halt while everyone figured out how to navigate the pandemic.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prior to the creation of this facility, Toronto was one of the only major North American cities with a large GBTQ population that did not have an integrated health center to serve its community. Now Toronto joins the ranks of San Francisco, Boston and London as a leader in this new model of holistic and inclusionary care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“What a transformation! The pared-down material palette feels welcoming without taking on the starkness of other clinic-related spaces. The curved wood elements add a wonderful texture and warmth, separate spaces in an unexpected way and focus attention.”<\/p>Katie Hunt, architect, LRK, MetamorphosiS Awards Judge<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Retrofit Team<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
METAMORPHOSIS AWARD WINNER and ARCHITECT: <\/strong>Architecture Counsel Inc.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
MECHANICAL\/ELECTRICAL ENGINEER: <\/strong>McGregor Allsop Limited<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Materials<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
ACOUSTIC CEILING TILES: <\/strong>Mars ClimaPlus and Clean Room ClimaPlus from USG<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
ACOUSTIC DRYWALL CEILING: <\/strong>Ensemble Monolithic Acoustic Ceiling System from USG<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
PRIVACY FILM: <\/strong>Fasara from 3M<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
PORCELAIN TILE: <\/strong>Stone Project from Stone Tile<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
RESILIENT FLOORING: <\/strong>Realities II Collection from Mannington Commercial<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
SOLID SURFACE: <\/strong>Caesarstone<\/a> and Corian<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n