ONEIDA HEALTH CENTRE

The facility has been placed in the landscape with a strong relationship to the south direction and to afford a pleasant view overlooking the existing stormwater management pond on the southeast corner of the Oneida Business Park (OBP). This strong directionality and orientation will assist the building in achieving the Net Zero energy goals that the facility is striving for. The stormwater management pond will be beautified through landscaping treatments including a network of pathways to contribute to the overall wellbeing of the project.

The superstructure of the facility will be comprised of cast-in-place concrete footings, foundation walls, and floor slabs on the lowest floor level with hollow core concrete planks over. While forming a strong foundation, this construction approach will also assist by shielding the upper floor levels from any radiation that will be produced by certain pieces of diagnostic equipment that will be located on this lowest floor level. For the upper two floors, the intent is to utilize a structural system of crosslaminated timber (CLT) columns, beams, wall panels, and floor panels. Efforts will be made to ensure that a maximum amount of CLT is left exposed to provide a warm and ‘nature based’ aesthetic for all interior spaces. Non-structural infill partitions will be constructed of light gauge steel framing that is insulated where required and clad with gypsum board to achieve required fire ratings and sound transmission class (STC) levels.

It is proposed that the building envelope will be constructed of large sections of triple glazed windows on the south facing elevation to contribute to positive passive solar heat gain during the winter months. Shading devices and select films will be installed over the windows to provide shade and reduce unwanted heat gain during the summer months. The north elevation will have less glass than the south side and be clad with precast concrete panels to provide a high performing and durable finish against prevailing winter winds from the north and west directions. The centre portion of the facility is to accommodate a series of interconnected cascading floor plates that will be enclosed in glass. This portion of the facility will focus on providing space for Indigenous Traditional Knowledge (ITK) including teaching, learning, sharing, and healing functions. Being constructed largely of glass, this area will also act much like a greenhouse and offer generous areas for plant propagation and harvesting. The roof of the central ‘greenhouse’ will extend over the entire facility and land at the buildings main entrances on the north side thereby forming protected areas both on the roof and under the resultant canopies at the client and staff drop off areas. The terraced roofs of the balance of the complex will be ‘green roofs’ and designed to support gardens for food and medicine production as well as other plants to promote biodiversity on the site.