New Institute
The Project
Infrastructure renewal project
Sixty per cent of the Institute's buildings were constructed between 1889 and 1940, when the Institute served as an asylum. The configuration from this time no longer corresponds to the needs of modern psychiatric care or the Institute’s new mandate. A solution must be found to maintain excellence in care, research and teaching and to provide better working conditions for our employees.
Improved living conditions for patient
The Douglas Institute has more than 30 buildings dispersed across a 165-acre campus. This layout poses a serious obstacle to the improvement of living conditions for patients and to the integration of care, research and teaching—an essential condition for a 21st-century university institute.
The Douglas has been thinking about what to do with its aging buildings for a number of years now. After considering many options and carrying out various renovation and repair projects, the time has come to embark on a large-scale infrastructure renewal project.
Keeping in line with trends and best practices in design and architecture
The Institute has involved internationally-renowned experts to participate in this process:
Roger Ulrich, PhD, from the Texas A&M University (USA). Professor Ulrich is part of the leading edge healing environment movement, a school of thought that examines how our physical structures can help provide better care for patients and better working conditions for employees. These environments are often referred to as "healing environments". His principles have been applied in many health care facilities around the world, including several in Montreal and other parts of Canada.
This particular type of architectural design, "evidence-based design", is based on studies and research conducted with different groups (patients, employees, families, etc.) and that has led to the establishment of "best practices" in architecture for health centres.
Frank Pitts is a specialist in design of behavioural healthcare facilities for special populations, long term care, and secure institutions. Frank Pitts is the founding partner and President of architecture +. He has been involved in many projects similar as the Institute’s, here in Montreal and in other Canadian cities.
Project philosophy
The Douglas Institute promotes excellence and innovation founded on commitment, collaboration and education. With this philosophy in mind, the Douglas is committed to carrying out this innovative project in collaboration with its internal, external, community, university and international partners.
Always striving for innovation, the Douglas would like to become the first mental health institute in Quebec that is constructed according to best architectural practices and that provides an environment where excellence in care, research and teaching is acknowledged and held up as an example around the world.
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