Patients enter the clinical rooms through a rounded doorway right from the waiting area. Both the waiting space and all treatment rooms are designed and arranged to soak in plenty of natural sunlight.
PROJECT Galt Health, Cambridge, Ontario
ARCHITECT Jaliya Fonseka Studio
TEXT David T. Fortin
PHOTOS Riley Snelling
Healthcare spaces offer a unique chance to explore care through design-an approach that’s all about being tuned into your own feelings and well-being, while also showing real empathy for others. Ever since Tommy Douglas introduced medicare in Saskatchewan back in the 1950s, universal healthcare has become one of Canada’s most widely accepted values. When a society treats access to basic health services as a human right, it shows a shared responsibility to look out for each other.
Still, the core of universal healthcare-the family doctor’s office-is often just a dull spot stuck above pharmacies or tucked away in strip malls. Designers rarely dive deep into creating a caring atmosphere here. Most family clinics across Canada have minimal design effort put into them: plain, sterile rooms without windows lined along equally plain corridors. Such spaces don’t exactly boost hope for people who might already feel vulnerable or uneasy.
A warm wood reception desk welcomes visitors at this new health clinic in Galt, Ontario.
The Galt Health Centre clinic in downtown Cambridge is clearly different, thanks to designer Jaliya Fonseka. When you step inside, there’s an immediate cozy vibe created by simple materials and lots of natural light. Spend more time here and you notice how thoughtfully everything is laid out. The project itself is pretty modest-small budget, small size, located off an office building atrium with humble materials-but its smart design makes it feel uplifting right away.
Patient rooms feature pitched ceilings like houses and translucent glass letting daylight filter through the hallway.
The layout came from Fonseka talking directly with doctors, staff, and community members so their feedback was key to shaping the design. This focus led to prioritizing natural light access, nice views outside, and openness throughout the space. Even though they had to use space efficiently here, exposed wooden ceiling slats create an airy feeling by hiding utilities between them yet keeping volume generous. The floor plan places patient rooms centrally along the building’s outer wall so daylight floods down the corridor then spills into waiting areas via smartly placed openings. A looped hallway connects patient spaces with staff zones making movement smooth and easy too. Curved walls and arches softly guide folks around using natural light as kind of wayfinding cues inside this place. In patient rooms themselves simple angled roofs add a homey touch plus some extra height; translucent windows bring gentle daylight inside.
Rounded doorways plus wood slat ceilings give this clinic a comfy feeling like home.
The standout feature here has got to be all that woodwork throughout the clinic. Vertical wooden fins made from regular lumber are placed carefully so they let lots of light come through but still provide privacy when needed from certain angles-they sort of divide up spaces without totally cutting them off too much at once at different spots around this place.
Meanwhile wooden ceiling slats combined with one long custom plywood bench running nearly 35 meters tie everything together nicely along edges.
A long wooden bench offers patients and staff somewhere inviting to sit or take a break.
The wood here isn’t just about looks either – all timber was sourced locally then milled right on site before finishing it naturally with oils like soybean oil mixed with sunflower oil plus waxes such as carnauba wax-all renewable stuff really.
What’s really impressive is that Fonseka himself built most of these millworks by hand while also acting as general contractor for construction.
You can feel his personal care woven into every bit.
These days architecture projects usually push hard toward saving time & money on materials or labor costs,
so slowing down enough actually to nurture craftsmanship isn’t always possible but makes such difference.
The clinic features a continuous looped hallway making it easier for staff to move around smoothly.
Whenever I end up sitting slowly with my family in Galt Health Centre’s waiting room,
I can’t help but notice how much heart went into creating this place.
Even if someone feels uncomfortable physically or emotionally,
the sunshine streaming softly through those handcrafted wood fins gives relief,
showing how thoughtful quiet designs can really lift spirits even in small humble spots.
David T. Fortin is a Professor at the University of Waterloo and Principal Architect of David T Fortin Architect.
His research focuses on ideas around home versus alienation,
plus how colonial history and commercialization shape those feelings-
with special interest on ways design could instead prioritize connections among humans
and beyond-humans alike first thing.
Screenshot
CLIENT Gheriani Medicine Professional | ARCHITECT TEAM Jaliya Fonseka , Walter Bettio , Deni Papetti | STRUCTURAL | MECHANICAL CONSULTANT Sopes Engineering | MECHANICAL CONTRACTOR Sharpline HVAC | ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR Spark Power Corp. | BUILDING SUPERVISOR / GENERAL CONTRACTOR Jaliya Fonseka | CUSTOM MILLWORK AND FABRICATION Jaliya Fonseka , Bradley Paddock , Carrie Paddock | METAL FABRICATION Rees Metal Design and Fabrication | AREA 246 m2 | BUDGET Withheld | COMPLETION Fall 2023
As appeared in the June 2024 issue of Canadian Architect magazine
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