A Warm, Welcoming, and Familiar Space

What happens when a healthcare design team takes inspiration from the feelings and comfort one gets upon entering a warm, familiar, and welcoming place, such as a home, hotel, or airport lounge? The recently redesigned Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, a scientific research center and teaching hospital in downtown Toronto. This healthcare facility features an Art Deco-era base building complete with a muted, natural, and warm interior design. The project is so impressive that it was recently featured in Healthcare Design Magazine. See the feature article.

Design Features

• Patient-Centered Design
• Warm Wood Tones and Neutral Color Palette
• Wood-Slat Ceiling, and a Mixture of Natural Woods for the Walls
• Specially Designed Entrance to Improve Patient Flow
• Plenty of Daylight
• Expanded Play Area for Children and Recreational Space
• Access to Outdoor Views
• Modern Lounge with a Gas Fireplace
• Two New Cafes
• Custom Upholstered Seating, Tables, and Built-In Lamps
• Media Center
• Donor Wall Used As a Design Feature / Art Installation
• Programmatic Lighting Zones

Design Team

Facility Name: Princess Margaret Cancer Centre

Owner: University Health Network

Architecture firm: Hariri Pontarini Architects and NORR Architects and Engineers

Interior design: Hariri Pontarini Architects

General contractor: Turner Construction Company

Engineering: MCW Consultants

Builder: Turner Construction Company

Marie Wikoff is the creator of Wikoff Design Studio based out of Reno, Nevada. Her expertise in healthcare design has helped modernize healthcare organizations locally, regionally, and internationally, improving patient experience and outcomes. Her credentials include Evidence-Based Design Accreditation and Certification (EDAC), American Academy of Healthcare Interior Designer (CHID), the National Council of Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) and LEED AP. Contact Marie Wikoff