Category Design Show all
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A vibrant reveal of the exterior ACM panel colours
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A vibrant new feature of the new Dawson Creek & District Hospital is catching the community’s eye: the building’s exterior colours.
With majority of the aluminum composite material (ACM) panels now installed and the protective film getting peeled off, the building is quickly becoming a visible landmark on the city’s skyline.
The new hospital’s façade is being clad in Ocean Blue, Lagoon, and Tuscan Sun – a bold and meaningful palette that reflects Dawson Creek’s natural beauty, cultural identity, and northern spirit.
- Ocean Blue represents the vast Peace Region sky symbolizing openness, calmness, and clarity
- Lagoon captures the magic of the Aurora Borealis, a natural wonder often visible in the northern skies
- Tuscan Sun was chosen to complement the City of Dawson Creek’s logo and is intended to highlight the main entrance and stand out as an identifiable landmark
The chosen colours were thoughtfully selected to reflect Dawson Creek’s identity and to create a welcoming, recognizable space for patients, families, and staff. We are excited to hear that community members are already embracing the bold and meaningful palette.
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Highlight: Interior Design Inspiration and Colour Schemes
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REGIONAL INSPIRATION
The concepts for the interior design of the new Dawson Creek and District Hospital draws inspiration from features of the surrounding environment; the FLOW of the Pouce Coupe River and Dawson Creek, the CONNECTIONS along the Alaska Highway, and the railroad as important gateways to the surrounding region and the northern lights of the BIG SKY which offers a full spectrum of colour palette.
INTERIOR DESIGN APPROACH
The concept of FLOW has been translated in a consistent design approach for wall, flooring, ceiling finishes, millwork design and lighting applications throughout the hospital. Flooring patterns, unique acoustical ceiling treatments and strategic use of colour and accent finishes have been considered in the design of key spaces to help guide and direct patients and visitors through and to key spaces.
Major destinations become CONNECTION points throughout the hospital and are reinforced in wall, floor and ceiling treatments along with accent lighting, colours and graphics to support wayfinding for patients, visitors, staff and volunteers. Public elevator lobbies, prominent public corridors, patient waiting areas, care team stations, department and clinic entrances are all areas where accent finishes treatments have been considered to make these spaces unique and recognizable.
The seasonal light changes of the BIG SKY and northern lights of the region offer a full spectrum colour palette for the hospital. One unique and prominent colour accent is applied to accent wall treatments and graphics to distinguish each floor throughout the hospital.
FINISH SELECTION CRITERIA
LEVEL 0 – MOUNTAINS
The mountains surrounding this region provided inspiration for the colours used in public and staff areas in the lower level. This colour palette is bold but timeless and it helps emphasize the strong foundation the facility is built on.
LEVEL 1 – RIVER
The Dawson Creek, Pouce Coupe River, and Peace River that wind through the region serve as the main inspiration for the design of the main public spaces on Level 1, to provide a welcoming, calming and serene first impression for patients, staff and volunteers. The deep aqua colour combined with warm neutral tones and graphic references of river grasses are applied to floors, walls and ceilings to support the FLOW concept throughout this main floor, and on signage to assist with wayfinding.
LEVEL 2 – PRAIRIE
The surrounding prairie fields are an important feature that inspired the development of the interior design and wayfinding approach for the inpatient level. The abundance of natural light that floods the canola fields in a golden glow creates a prominent element on the exterior of the building that not only enhances the visual appeal of its design but also fosters a sense of vitality and rejuvenation within the interior spaces.
LEVEL 3 – FOREST
The depth of the forest colours combined with fir and pine needle imagery inspired the colour scheme for the mental health floor. We aimed to design a space that is reminiscent of the tranquility and calmness felt walking in nature.
PUBLIC ELEVATOR LOBBIES
The application of the four colour schemes is more evident at the public elevator lobbies, where each geographical feature is prominent.
The design features of the public elevator lobbies include durable wall cladding material with back lit graphic floor identification, colour accent treatments that wrap around recessed glass display cases, unique to each floor, which will feature original art and Indigenous artifacts.
Acoustical wood ceiling treatments have been designed at each elevator lobby to assist with acoustics and help with orientation and wayfinding.
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Highlight: Floor plans
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These floor plans are approximate and subject to change. Departments and units shown may not be to scale or inclusive of all rooms and spaces. They are not a final map of the facility and are for illustrative purposes only.
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Mock-up review: Enhancing inpatient washroom design
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Before the Christmas break, Graham Design-Builders conducted a detailed mock-up review of the inpatient washroom and accessories on-site of the new Hospital. This session was crucial for gathering user feedback and ensuring the design meets the highest standards of functionality and safety.
Representatives from NH Facilities Maintenance, Infection Prevention and Control, and Rehabilitation were in attendance to provide feedback on the placement of accessories. Key points of feedback included the:
- Placement of the nightlight to ensure the space was sufficiently illuminated and to enhance visibility and safety during nighttime use
- Location and size of swing-up grab bars
- Placement of sink cleanout and shut off valves
- Placement and width of the backrest to ensure compliance with the BC Building Code’s requirements
- Height of the flush valve and any necessary supports to ensure it doesn’t interfere with the backrest
- Placement of the Nurse Call, Emergency and Call Bell devices to ensure they are accessible without posing a ligature risk
- Location of the paper towel dispenser to improve access near the sink and avoid patients bumping into it
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Mock-up #3 in the Quonset hut
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Last week, Graham Design Builders LP submitted the 95% design and hosted the third round of mock-ups inside the Quonset hut.
Read more about ‘what’s inside the Quonset hut’.
Mock-up #3 consisted of a fully constructed bariatric inpatient bedroom and washroom and isolation room and anteroom. These rooms included sample materials and finishes, millwork locations, key pieces of equipment, IMIT device and power receptacle locations, and furniture. Leadership representatives were able to experience key features of the design, provide feedback and input, and make design decisions.
In addition to the constructed rooms, they reviewed window blinds, the layout of a medication room and the layout of the LDRP washroom and birthing tub.
Mock-up #4 will be a prototype of an inpatient bedroom and washroom and bariatric room which will include all materials, services, millwork, finishes, equipment and furniture. It’ll be constructed in its actual location within the new facility and reviewed at various stages of construction.
Photos from inside the isolation room and anteroom
Photos from inside the bariatric inpatient room and washroom
Photos from inside the medication room
Photos from inside the LDRP washroom with the birthing tub
Photo of the window blinds review
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Multi-trade rack mock-up in Coquitlam
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On February 22 and 29, members from the DCDH PMO, Graham, HDR and subcontractor representatives attended an in-person mock-up review of a typical multi-trade rack in Coquitlam to provide feedback and discuss the pre-fabrication design.
A multi-trade rack (MTR) is a steel frame structure that contains elements such as ductwork, water lines, heating pipes, sprinkler lines, valves, VAV boxes, steel studs and drywall, electrical components and anything else that is located in the ceiling of a corridor. Part of the project strategy is to pre-fabricate large components of the new Dawson Creek & District Hospital using MTRs. There will be approximately 90 in the new facility varying in size between 16’ to 24’ long.
While in production, three MTRs will be built per week. Fabrication is done based on an established sequence of activities so as to facilitate assembly-line like production to maximize completion output.
Once they are fabricated, the MTRs will undergo inspection and testing and then be shrink wrapped and shipped to Dawson Creek starting as early as July.
Once the MTRs arrive on-site, they’ll be lifted up with the tower crane, rolled onto the floor into position, inspected again, hoisted up into the ceiling space, and then bolted to the underside of the suspended slab. Once they are installed, the two-foot gap between each one will be in-filled, inclusive of all the mechanical and electrical services and drywall.
Pre-fabricating the MTRs off-site allows for them to be completed while work is still underway on the concrete superstructure as opposed to waiting until that work is complete. This method is also quicker, more cost effective, improves quality control, and is safer as it prevents workers having to work at heights.
Note: Image is from another project showing the MTR being lifted by the crane -
Renderings: Public Interior Spaces
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Please note: Renderings are from the 95% design submission and are approximate and subject to change at any time. They are simulated views and information depicted is illustrative. The Design Builder makes no guarantee that what is depicted will ultimately appear as shown in the final design and construction.
Main entrance
Registration and waiting area
Public seating area and cafe, which will be operated by a third-party
Entrance to the spiritual room
Inside the spiritual room
Elevator lobby (Level 1)
Emergency Department registration and waiting room -
Renderings: Patient Rooms and Care Stations
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Please note: Renderings are from the 95% design submission and are approximate and subject to change at any time. They are simulated views and information depicted is illustrative. There is no guarantee that what is depicted will ultimately appear as shown in the final design and construction.
Typical inpatient room
Typical labour, delivery, recovery, post-partum (maternity) inpatient room 
Typical bariatric inpatient room
Typical isolation room
Mental health patient room
Inpatient unit east care station
Inpatient unit centre care station
Maternity (LDRP) care station
Convalescent care station -
Site plan
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Please note: The site plan is approximate and subject to change at any time. All renderings are simulated views and information depicted is illustrative. The Design Builder makes no guarantee that what is depicted will ultimately appear as shown in the final design and construction. Plant species illustrated may not be representative of the final species or maturity of the plants selected during the detailed design stage.
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First look at the new Dawson Creek and District Hospital
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Please note: Renderings are from the 60% design submission and are approximate and subject to change at any time. These are simulated views and information depicted is illustrative. The Design Builder makes no guarantee that what is depicted in the renderings will ultimately appear as shown in the final design and construction. Plant species illustrated may not be representative of the final species or maturity of the plants selected during the detailed design stage.
Aerial view of front of building
Proximity to old facility 
View from 112 Ave 
View from southeast
View from southwest
