Composed of two pavilions linked on all floors, the new CHUM groups three main activity sectors: care units – 772 individual hospital rooms in intensive and general care –, 27 walk-in clinics and the related diagnostic and therapeutic services.

The southern pavilion includes a 51-stretcher emergency unit, a medical imagery unit (including 6 MRI scan rooms, 5 CT-scan rooms and 7 angiography rooms), a 39-room operating block and 6 800 m2 of clinical laboratories. The critical care units are located above these functions to optimize functional links and therefore reduce travelling time. The other care units are located in the upper floors, with a double-corridor layout allowing to group services and work stations at the units’ center. This layout’s goal is to drastically reduce caregivers’ travelling distances and allow them to spend more time at the patients’ bedside.

The north pavilion includes the radio-oncology unit (12 linacs), public functions, all of the walk-in clinics (including clinical research), the ophthalmology center, the oncology center (43 treatment spots) and administrative functions. The energy plant and the waste and soiled linen collection docks are located to the west of Sanguinet avenue, out of the hospital’s footprint, to limit disturbances to healthcare activities.

The project was planned in two phases to respect the CHUM’s functionality requirements and to maintain Saint-Luc Hospital operating during completion of phase 1. The first phase was the construction of the southern pavilion, done by CannonDesign + NEUF architect(e)s (selected technical proposal) and put into operation in the fall of 2017. The 2nd phase, which includes the demolition of Saint-Luc Hospital as well as the construction of the north pavilion, was delivered in 2021 by our firm in consortium with MSDL.

Several inherent challenges have influenced the developed solution: its implantation on a high urban density site including traffic management and integration of patrimonial elements; the scale, logistics and functionality of hospital activities; the phasing of activities; the constant evolution of biomedical technologies; the creation of quiet therapeutic environment encouraging patients’ recovery and staff’s wellbeing.