Pathology Consolidation

The Challenge:

Our assignment was to complete the consolidation from 60,000 sf distributed space while integrating two wings on the 11th floor of Toronto General Hospital.

UHN’s Consolidated Pathology occupies 48,500 sf of the 11th floor of Toronto General Hospital. The facility includes eight distinct areas for different pathology functions, CL2 and CL3 laboratories, support spaces and administrative areas.

The Consolidated Pathology facility accommodates 40 pathologists, and includes laboratories for immunology, staining, cutting, specimen management, tissue processing, bank and culture, histology, flow cytometry, clinical research pathology, cytogenics, DNA extraction, FISH wet lab, assessment and write-up areas, and storage areas. The facility also includes two autopsy suites – CL2 and CL3. The Autopsy suites are segregated from each other through a series of airlocks and change rooms. The autopsy suites are designed to be cleaned using Vaporized Hydrogen Peroxide (VHP).

Achieving a Successful Outcome:

NXL’s mandate included full space and technical planning, design, contract documents, and construction review. The programming portion of the project was approached first by reviewing and cataloguing the existing facilities. The information, along with user input was compiled into a complete functional and technical programme, from which the design was derived and successfully completed.

• The design, while still meeting the needs of the programme, was modified after demolition of the space found critical utility services feeding above and below that could not be rerouted.
• The CL3 autopsy space, developed in response to the SARS outbreak in early 2003, provides UHN with the only close containment facilities to deal safely with potentially infectious agents during post-mortem.