Erecting New Walls That Break Down Old Ones
Since 1999, the Queen Street Redevelopment Project has aimed to provide innovative patient care and research through state-of-the art facilities that integrated with the surrounding neighbourhood. The goal is to create a safe and welcoming environment where patients can recover with dignity and that promotes a compassionate community response to mental health.
It was a bold plan from the beginning, centered on providing the most dignified care. This vision includes introducing rooms with views and natural light, more green space, and dignified indoor and outdoor spaces that reduce stress, enhance healing, and improve staff morale. We wanted to establish more integration with the surrounding community instead of a walled-in and separate facility. The aim was to create an urban village in place of an institution.
With our design vision firmly set, we focused our attention on the details of the build.
The resulting Master Vision and Principles document lays out in detail the new CAMH we are already well on our way to creating. The five main principles in the final recommendation that have guided all design and build decisions are:
- Focus on client empowerment and recovery
- Provide staff and caregivers with the best work environment
- Be an exemplary neighbour in the community
- Establish a world-class centre for discovery and knowledge exchange
- Optimize operational efficiency.
Respecting Our History
One of the most distinctive architectural features at CAMH’s Queen Street site is, without doubt, the historic brick wall that was built by patients in the nineteenth century. Recognizing the historical significance of the structure, the wall was designated a heritage property by the City of Toronto in 1997, along with two onsite storage buildings that were also built in the late 1800s. An archival display of the site’s asylum history lines the walls of the main floor of the Doctors Association Building.
CAMH is committed to conserving and preserving our historic landmarks. An archival display of the site’s asylum history lines the walls of the main floor of the Doctors Association Building and conservation work on the wall and storage buildings began in the summer of 2007. For the latest information, please see our Heritage Report.
