Building on an enclosed site without interrupting care: ingenuity and agility at the heart of the Jewish General Hospital

Modernizing healthcare facilities — notably to meet the growing needs of the population and to comply with regulatory requirements — is a major challenge in dense urban settings, where sites suited to new construction are scarce. In this context, densifying the site becomes essential, all the more so because the proximity of services and the preservation of functional links depend on it. Yet expanding a century-old building transformed over the decades, on a restricted parcel hemmed in between pavilions that must remain operational, is no small feat. This is the challenge our team is currently taking on at the Jewish General Hospital, where a two-storey structure on pilotis is taking shape in the inner courtyard of Pavilion H, alongside the critical care pavilion (Pavilion K) — a project by our firm completed in 2016.

Intended for the pharmacy department and carried out as part of the compliance upgrade of spaces prescribed by the Ordre des pharmaciens du Québec, the project will bring together under one roof activities previously divided between the basement of Pavilion G and the ground floor of Pavilion C — cramped premises whose renovation could not meet the highly specialized needs of a central pharmacy. It is also part of the vast redevelopment mandate undertaken at the hospital following the transfer of numerous functions to Pavilion K.

Working with a site of multiple constraints

Surrounded by buildings at the heart of a bustling hospital campus, the site leaves no room to manoeuvre: limited access, a minimal work area and a delicate insertion between two existing pavilions whose operations cannot be interrupted. Every step — material deliveries, hoisting, technical connections — requires close coordination with the hospital and multiple stakeholders to ensure user safety and the continuity of care.

Beyond these tight quarters lies a less visible constraint: the ground itself. The courtyard houses essential underground services, and the lower floors of Pavilion H feature exits and fenestration that must be preserved. The chosen solution is therefore to erect the new building on pilotis. By lifting the volume and connecting it to the third and fourth levels of the existing building, the ground level is freed up, the indispensable access points and clearances are maintained, and functional links are created between each floor of the future pharmacy and the adjacent sectors.

Carefully connecting to the existing buildings — and drawing on their strengths

Nestled in the courtyard of Pavilion H, the expansion enjoys an advantageous position: the proximity of Pavilion K's logistics elevators and of the supply sector will optimize the operations of the future central pharmacy. A reception area, shared services and the pharmacy proper — preparation and storage — will occupy the lower level, while the upper level will house administrative, meeting and support spaces, rooms dedicated to research and teaching, as well as technical rooms.

To create a cohesive whole, the expansion's single façade echoes the contemporary architectural treatment of Pavilion K. Its generous fenestration lends it a lightness that contrasts with the massive brick of Pavilion H. Inside, the three original masonry walls will be exposed and showcased by skylights and double-height spaces arranged around them. Also placed along the periphery, circulation routes will offer users privileged contact with the heritage building erected by the Sœurs de Sainte-Croix.

Crowning the structure, a green roof terrace will provide staff with a high-quality outdoor rest area, taking advantage of the neighbourhood's topography to open up a panorama to the west.

Work is progressing on schedule, and delivery of the expansion is planned for the end of 2026.

Client: Santé Québec Centre-Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal Universitaire
Architects: Jodoin Lamarre Pratte architectes
Structural and civil engineers: CIMA+
Electromechanical engineers: BPA
General contractor: Construction Irénée Paquet & Fils