Exterior wood paneling and trim is shown in this daytime exterior view of the PG Regional Hospital Redevelopment

University Hospital of Northern British Columbia

Location: Prince George, B.C.
Completion: 2005
Photo credit: Derek Lepper Photography

Size
11,600 square metres

Structural Engineer
RJC Engineers

Engineered Wood Fabricator
Mercer Mass Timber LLC

Structural systems
Post-and-beam

Project materials
Parallel strand lumber (PSL)

Wood used extensively in healthcare facility upgrade

This project, located in the heart of Prince George, northern British Columbia’s largest city, involved the upgrading of an ageing and outdated central hospital facility to meet contemporary healthcare delivery and building code requirements using wood. The redevelopment expanded and renovated a number of key areas of the hospital, including cancer care, paediatrics and maternity. A new four-storey addition provides 108 replacement in-patient beds, a 10-bed geriatric assessment unit and a 10-bed intensive care unit. Together with the addition of new accommodation for an expanding population and the enhancement of a range of community health services, it serves the needs of this burgeoning centre.

Day-lit circulation atrium with PSL tree columns

Extending through the full height of the new building is the day-lit circulation atrium, with a vertical structure consisting of eight PSL tree columns arranged along one side of the space, which supports faceted PSL ribs and a series of translucent polycarbonate skylights.

The atrium is overlooked by continuous balconies at each floor level; these and other circulation areas in the building also feature Douglas-fir veneer acoustic panels, chosen for their warm appearance and durability compared to more traditional fabric-covered panels. These features give the public spaces of the hospital a non-institutional atmosphere that contrasts with the more clinical appearance of the other areas.

Exterior wood use softens building appearance

Externally, wood is used to clad the stair tower of the building and on the soffit of the projecting entrance canopy. Though limited in area, these applications of wood serve to soften the appearance of the building and offer a gesture of welcome to visitors.

Heavy timber possible through equivalencies

The use of heavy timber construction in an institutional building of this size was made possible through the negotiation of equivalencies, such as additional sprinklers being used to provide the required level of fire safety for the wood roof structure. Demonstrating the viability of wood as an alternate structural system in large scale applications like this has become more straightforward with the introduction of fire behaviour simulation software and the move to more objective-based building codes.

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