The new building, which brings together all of Rouyn-Noranda's rehabilitation services under one roof, is spread over two levels. The Early Childhood, Local Programs and Sensory Program are located on the ground floor, while the Neurotraumatology Program, the training and rehabilitation rooms have been set upstairs. The new building has become the premises’ new main entrance and is connected to the existing one by a pedestrian bridge. A future extension is planned to integrate orthosis services (Orthaide). The project also includes the development of a new parking lot to meet the needs of clinical teams and their clients.
The well-being of patients and staff being at the heart of the architectural design, it was planned from the start of the project to maximize natural light and views to the outside, while maintaining a compact and economical building. Receptions and waiting rooms open onto the landscape at the rear of the building in a double height space. In addition, the creation of a warm and welcoming atmosphere dominates the entire building through the choice of materiality; wood is ubiquitous and its warm, clear hues illuminate the spaces.
Special attention has been given to intuitive wayfinding to quickly identify different functions, not only to help patients navigate through space, but also to optimize the organization of services and hardware resources.