ErinoakKids (EOK) is Ontario’s largest children’s treatment and development centre, providing treatment, rehabilitation, and support services for children up to age 18 with a range of emotional and physical challenges. To achieve equity of access across the Greater Toronto Area, three sites were selected for development - Brampton, Mississauga and Oakville.
Designed as a prototypical ‘kit-of-parts’ each of the three two-story buildings is organized around a mass timber ‘main street’ and a beautifully landscaped ‘central courtyard’. Play areas, therapeutic programs, and recreational spaces are located along and around these two organizing elements, encouraging therapy, education, and discovery. The concepts of play, achievement, and memory are key to the design approach. The generous landing of the central feature stair projects into the courtyard and, with its protective shroud, transforms into a ‘treehouse’ - the quintessential symbol of ‘play’.
Hash marks within the main street floor pattern along with numbered risers on the treehouse stair help measure for progress and achievement for clients. The walls throughout the facilities incorporate display space for decorative memory tiles, handmade by each child leaving a lasting imprint of their time and achievement at EOK.
Unique characteristics of each site inspired site-specific design elements. For example, the Mississauga site is adjacent to train tracks. As a result, a trainspotting nook is incorporated within main street. A beautiful landscaped ravine adjacent to the Brampton site provides a unique surrounding for the one site that offers respite beds as part of its program.
All the information about how to enter the 2020 WAN Awards is here.
We are very happy to offer support so please don’t hesitate to email Georgia, WAN Awards Event Coordinator with any questions at Georgia.Baily@haymarket.com.
Last year more than 40 countries took part in the WAN Awards with strong showings from Europe, the Americas and Asia-Pacific. And we saw some truly outstanding projects, take a look at the winners from last year here.