Project Value:
$45M
Architect:
MCM Architects,
Status:
Completed
State-Of-The-Art Medical Research Facility
Location:
Vancouver, BC
Project Overview
Darren Bryson was part of the Project Management team for this state-of-the-art medical research facility dedicated to the development and translation of more effective strategies to promote prevention, functional recovery, and improved quality of life after spinal cord injury.
Located at Vancouver General Hospital in the Blusson Spinal Cord Centre, ICORD is supported by the UBC Faculty of Medicine and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute. The facility was designed to be highly accessible to people with physical disabilities, exceeding the minimum requirements of the British Columbia Building Code. The glass atrium houses its main feature, which is a ramp that is 200 metres long with a 5% incline. Unique spaces include a vivarium, a living lab, clinical investigations and rehabilitation research, rehabilitation research space and the Rick Hansen Institute headquarters. The goal of the design team was to create a building so universally accessible it would not need the ubiquitous blue wheelchair signs distinguishing accessible features from those that are not.
