We’re proud to announce that Wellspring Calgary’s Randy O’Dell House has officially been WELL Certified Silver!
Randy O’Dell House, completed in 2019 is a welcoming facility for individuals and families affected by cancer. The facility provides a range of non-medical support, resources, and programs in a home-like and comfortable environment and is one of Alberta’s first buildings designed to meet WELL Building Standard Silver certification. In fact, there are only four other buildings in Alberta that have fully certified to the WELL Building Standard.
The design focus for Randy O’Dell House was to meet the emotional, social, and practical needs of people living with cancer – which is why the project team chose to follow the WELL Building Standard, comprising of aspects which address specific areas of occupant health, comfort, and knowledge. These features are categorized into seven concepts: air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort, and mind.
Design considerations under the WELL Building Standard include the use of healthy/non-toxic building products such as paints, flooring and insulation, designing spaces to provide as much natural light as possible while reducing glare, an emphasis on sound attenuation and privacy, and the promotion of movement through elements such as wider staircases with artwork on the walls which promotes stair use over the elevator.
The site was designed to ensure plentiful outdoor gathering spaces for patients and families, including an 8,000 square foot garden area to be planted with flowering shrubs and perennials. Outdoor green spaces provide benches, gazebos, wander paths and shaded areas for sitting, visiting and enjoying the landscaping. The building was situated on the site to provide convenient access for visitors, as well as to allow for future expansion. The building was given two entrances and just like many homes, there is a formal front door which faces onto the main street and the more often used west entrance functions like a side door, providing visitors and staff a more residential experience upon approach.
The Randy O’Dell House functions as a health support facility but is intentionally very residential in its appearance to reflect a place of comfort, caring, compassion and community. Thoughtfully designed programmatic spaces include a lounge, sitting areas, art room, library, kitchen, community room, exercise area, child minding area, offices and counselling rooms. A garden and large outdoor green space provide nurturing outdoor areas.
Thanks to the great project team that worked together to bring Wellspring Calgary’s vision to life:
- Prime Consultant and Architecture: S2 Architecture
- Mechanical and Electrical: TLJ Engineering
- Civil: Veritas
- Landscaping: Navagrah
- Sustainability: Integral Group
- Interior Design: Shearer Design
- Contractor: Centron Building Corporation
