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2021 Parkin Architects Year In Review

As we look back on 2021, we would like to thank our staff, partners, and all team members for their hard work and dedication over this past year. This year as we settled into a new way of working, it has been rewarding to be able to contribute our services to the community and work with amazing teams.  We look forward to the coming year and the opportunity to achieve even more together in 2022.

Our highlights from 2021:

Awards and Appointments

Parkin Promotions 2021

Parkin Architects was excited to announce eight promotions, including four new appointments to our Management Team, these promotions are in recognition of the significant contributions to team, projects and committee work. We welcome these leaders to their new roles and look forward to their contribution to the continued success of the firm. To learn more about our new Principals, Senior Associates and Associates please click here.

Cindy O’Brien joins Parkin Architects

We are pleased to announce that Cindy O’Brien, RN, BsN, MHS joined the Parkin team.  Cindy is a nurse with front line experience in emergency, critical care and inpatient units.

Corner Brook Acute Care Hospital Wins P3 Awards

Parkin congratulates Plenary Americas for receiving three honours at the annual P3 Awards. Corner Brook Acute Care Hospital won for Best Social Infrastructure Project. Parkin is proud to be a part of this dynamic team for Corner Brook Acute Care Hospital.

Parkin receives Certificate of Appreciation from IFHE

During the COVID Pandemic, the International Federation of Healthcare Engineering (IFHE) was engaged by the World Health Organization (WHO) to support responsive activities to assist in the development of projects to combat the new coronavirus disease.  Many parties were involved in this work across the globe, including Parkin Architects. Parkin’s volunteer efforts were recognized by the IFHE Executive Committee.  A huge thank you goes out to Robin Snell (Director) and to Shannon Wright (Associate) for their contributions.

Senior Associate Kyle Basilius achieves ACHA Certification Achievement

Parkin congratulates Senior Associate, Kyle Basilius, for achieving admittance to the American College of Healthcare Architects (ACHA) as a Board-Certified healthcare architect.  He is only the second practising architect in Canada to have received this certification.

Publications, Conferences and Speaking Engagements

Parkin’s Sustainable Initiatives in AWARD Magazine

Parkin Associate, Shannon Wright, is quoted in Award Magazine’s feature ‘Socially Conscious’, (subtitled ‘Green building design gains more traction as a result of the pandemic’). To read this insightful feature, click here.

Robin Snell and Stephen Verderber’s Studio Crits

Parkin Director, Robin Snell, participated in Stephen Verderber’s studio crits for a University of Toronto’s Architectural Masters Class.

Parkin Participates in Cornell University Research

Parkin is an industry partner for this Cornell Research Lab with Dr. Saleh Kalantari, Director of the Design and Augmented Intelligence Lab (DAIL) at Cornell. Parkin Director, Robin Snell, collaborated with the Cornell University research team on their academic paper, A New Method of Human Response Testing to Enhance the Design Process, which has been issued for publication in academic journals.

Parkin participates in CCHF Isolation Room Design Panel Discussion

Parkin Director, Robin Snell, participated as a panelist for CCHF’s discussion, sharing his insights on Isolation Room design.

Parkin Principal David Driscoll provides expertise in Learning by Design Magazine

As the Principal leading the Science and Technology design group at Parkin, David Driscoll provides his expertise on Transparency and Collaboration and how they are key to the Design of Science Education Spaces. His expertise is featured in Learning by Design magazine, summer 2021 edition. To read David’s insightful feature, click here.

Parkin participates in CHES 2021 Conference

Robin Snell, Parkin Director and Chair of CSA Z8003 participated as a guest speaker at the 41st Annual Conference of CHES (the Canadian Healthcare Engineering Society) National Virtual Conference.

Parkin Director participates in CCHF’s first Canada-wide virtual summit

CCHF is organizing its first Canada-wide live virtual summit on November 30th, 2021. The theme is Silver Linings from the Pandemic – Resiliency and Innovation. Robin Snell, a Parkin Director, was a part of an expert panel to discuss experiences and insights on how to move forward with planning and design of facilities, and how design considerations may need to change.

Parkin Participates in Healthcare Design’s Take 5

Parkin Senior Associate, Kyle Basilius, shares his thoughts on a net-zero future, new project delivery models, and healthcare’s role in Aboriginal reconciliation. A leading healthcare design professional, Kyle participated in Healthcare Design’s series Take 5, where leading design professionals tell us what’s caught their attention and share their ideas on the subject. To find out what caught Kyle’s attention, click here.

Parkin participates in Sustainable Labs Canada

Parkin Principal, David Driscoll, has been a member of SLCAN (https://slcan.ca/) since its inception in 2013. Parkin attended an SLCAN sponsored virtual session hosted by Thomas Smith, President and CEO of 3Flow.

Project Updates

Parkin’s Interior Design Team Give an Inside View

Parkin’s interior design team provides a full-service Interiors consulting service. Their experience and knowledge are based on evidence-based design and innovative solutions that promote positive and enduring social change. Please find the first video here and the second here.

Town of Caledon East Community Centre complete

Construction of the Town of Caledon East Community Centre has been completed.  Parkin enjoyed bringing this project to fruition together with McDonald Brothers and Stephenson Engineering Ltd.  Our team is fortunate to have collaborated with this expanding facility since 2007, as well as the second arena in 2010!

Juravinski Hospital, Hamilton Health Sciences, Stem Cell Transplant

Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre (part of Hamilton Health Sciences) awarded Parkin the design of a Stem Cell Transplant Unit. The Centre is one of just three such facilities providing all forms of stem cell transplants to adult cancer patients in Ontario.  As Prime Consultant, Parkin was involved in all stages: initial functional programming, design development, construction contract documentation, tendering, and construction contract administration.

Penticton Regional Hospital Opens its Emergency Department

Penticton Regional Hospital opened its new emergency department in Phase 2 of renovations to the existing building. Parkin is proud to be the architect for this hospital and to contribute to the sense of pride for the community.

Parkin and G architects Collaborate on a New Long-Term Care Home in Durham Region

Parkin and G architects are collaborating in joint venture with PCL Constructors Canada Inc. in the rapid construction of a 320-bed facility in Ajax, for Lakeridge Health. The project is part of the provincial accelerated build pilot program, led by Infrastructure Ontario, which aims to have the home planning, designed, constructed, and available for seniors in the community by late 2021.

Cellular Therapy Suite at SickKids

Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children engaged Parkin to design a new Cellular Therapy Suite that meets current and future needs of the hospital’s Bone Marrow Transplant / Cellular therapy program.

Queensway Carleton Hospital Mental Health Renovations

Parkin extends congratulations to Queensway Carleton Hospital (QCH) for receiving funding approval for renovations and an addition to its Mental Health Unit.  We are proud to be working with QCH’s team on this exciting and rewarding project.

Royal Columbian Hospital—Phase Two

Parkin is pleased to be once again working with EllisDon, this time on Phase Two of the Royal Columbian Hospital design/build project.

Ford and Tong Surgical Suite complete

Parkin recently completed a surgical suite for a team of plastic surgeons in an office building in the downtown core.  The fully equipped surgical suite allows patients to get the full complement of procedures outside of a hospital.

Red Fish Healing Centre nearing completion

Red Fish Healing Centre for Mental Health & Addiction is located on the 244 acres of Riverview Lands in Coquitlam, BC. The core guiding design and construction principles reflect the values of the community and the Kwikwetlem First Nation (“KFN”).

Cape Dorset Health Centre update

Parkin is proud to report that Cape Dorset Health Centre reached substantial performance.  Despite COVID-19 travel restrictions and Kinngait closing its airport to visitors for several months, our team was able to complete the project within the original timeline proposed in July of 2018.

Addition to Women’s Unit at the Provincial Correctional Centre in Miltonvale, P.E.I.

Parkin is pleased to be working with Coles Associates Ltd., TEK Consultants Ltd., Province of Prince Edward Island, and FitzGerald and Snow (2010) Ltd. on the new addition to the women’s unit at the Provincial Correctional Centre in Miltonvale, P.E.I.

Progress at Bayers Lake

The Bayers Lake QEII Community Outpatient Centre will offer several services that do not require a hospital setting. Those potential services may include an initial visit with a specialist, post-surgery or post-treatment follow-up, blood collection, and X-rays. 100% Contract Documents were issued on June 21, 2021. Substantial completion is scheduled for August 2023.

Status of Clarington Police Complex – Phase 2

Parkin in joint venture with RPL Architects is currently working on the Clarington Police Complex – Phase 2 located in Bowmanville, ON.  The $83M project is a new build and will be tendered in July 2021.  Construction is scheduled to start in September 2021 with occupancy scheduled for August 2023.

Kinngait’s New Health Centre Opens

Kinngait’s new Health Centre in Cape Dorset, NU opened on August 3, 2021, and averaged 40 visits per day in the first week. Parkin Architects is proud to be a part of the team led by Accutech Engineering and Pilitak Construction. We worked together to provide quick access to healthcare, much needed for the community.

Carleton Place & District Memorial Hospital’s New Emergency Department

Carleton Place & District Memorial Hospital’s new emergency department stage 3.2 has recently been approved by the Ministry to move forward with construction documents, stage 4.1.  A fundraising campaign has recently been launched by the hospital for the project. Parkin is working closely with the hospital and users to incorporate pandemic protocols in the design.

North York General Hospital

The goal of the Branson Ambulatory Care Centre relocation, further known as the new Minor Procedures Hub, was to continue NYGH’s patient-centred quality care embedded within the community fabric as a satellite hub.

Parkin Hosts an Internal Design Competition for Camp Couchiching “Windsurf Pavilion”

Parkin launched an internal staff design competition for Camp Couchiching’s “Windsurf Pavilion”. The design competition, loosely called the ‘Windsurf Pavilion’, was intended to refurbish the existing windsurfing program area.

Blogs Posts and Articles

Just in case you haven’t read our 2021 blogs, here are the posts from the past year:

A New Atrium, a New Heart for Royal Inland Hospital, Kamloops

A Convergence of Expression: Decolonizing Healthcare and Justice Facility Design with Indigenous Communities

A Convergence of Expression: Inuit Knowing and Educational Architecture in Northern Canada

OR Design Best Practices for Improved Workflow

8 Considerations for Modern Laboratory Design

“The Blue Yarn” – Transforming Healthcare in Pursuit of the Perfect Patient Experience

Engaging Clinical Leads to Enhance Healthcare Design Success

Designing Flexible Educational Spaces for Students and Community: Two Northern Canadian Examples

Designing the Built Environment to Alleviate Fatigue and Burnout in Nurses

Collaborating on the Holodeck: Virtual Reality and the Immersive Design Process

Addressing COVID-19 and Its Impact on the Future of Prison Healthcare

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