A major expansion of the Fleurimont Hospital in Sherbrooke, Que., uses architectural creativity to alleviate the feeling of confinement that some people may experience in hospitals.

The 34,500 m² (371,355 sf) extension, which includes a new mother-child and emergency centre (Enfant Soleil Pavilion), consolidates the emergency, maternity, neonatal, pediatric, and child psychiatry departments.

The expansion drew from a collaborative process between clinicians, professionals, managers, artists, and patient partners to create a spatial layout.

Due to the program’s logistical and functional complexity, the building’s form was conceived as an assembly of blocks forming a unified structure. The extension blends into the site and seamlessly connects to the existing hospital while asserting a contemporary style.

The new pavilion’s architectural vocabulary evokes the materiality of the surrounding brick buildings, while reflecting the natural landscape through shimmering surfaces. White, mineral-based roofs reduce the heat-island effect and reliance on air conditioning, while landscape design features plants native to the region.

To meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) v4 Silver certification standards, the building employed several strategies to reduce its environmental footprint. This included preserving existing green spaces by locating the extension on the site of a previous car park.