The Winnipeg Woman's Hospital was originally built in 1949, featuring five stories and 132 patient beds, which was 72 more than the Winnipeg General Hospital's maternity ward. An impressive new Women's all glass hospital in Winnipeg, is now rising at the site of the old Weston Bakeries at Elgin Avenue and Sherbrook Street. It promises to be one of the most advanced areas of the Health Sciences Centre campus, but its patients are more likely to be impressed with the private rooms and the spacious bathrooms.
The Hospital's targeted opening date is fall 2016, however much of the exterior construction has already been completed. There will be a year-long commissioning period to ensure the very complex building, which handles everything from gynecological surgeries and births to intensive infant care and palliative services is ready for use.
Scott Stirton, Architecture49's CEO describes the project, "The design of the hospital balances architecture and medical science to provide more personal care and become a life-giving destination for the community".
Canadian firm Parkin Architects partnered with Architecture49 to design a building that expresses the concepts of coherence, connectedness, and restoration. All areas of the hospital are respectful of women and their needs, and particularly the aboriginal women who will be the prime users. The complete design narrative is rooted in the wildflowers of Manitoba. They have been integrated as art and landmark elements throughout the interior of the building, as well as reflected through the incorporation of images of the urban elm canopy on the building's exterior.
Creating the mural on the building’s facade took planning and precision during production. Each panel was designated a specific elevation, with a very particular pattern to be applied. When all of the pieces were lined up and installed the glass portrays a seamless vision. Goldray’s Digital Ceramic Printing was chosen for the application, which applies ceramic ink directly onto glass in much the same way that an inkjet printer prints onto paper. This solution allows the designer to create multi-color or photographic quality images for either monolithic or laminated installations.
