Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon

The new Ronald McDonald House of British Columbia (RMHBC) provides a “home away from home” for out-of-town families with children receiving medical treatment at BC Women’s and Children’s Hospital. Growing from their old residence serving 12 families to a new 73-family facility risked a significant shift in the delivery of services and the culture of the new larger home for the RMHBC organization. From the outset, the project team and client sought a solution that would feel like a home and not a hotel. The ambition was to preserve the nurturing, closely bonded social connection found in the original 12-family Shaughnessy house. From beginning to end, the team integrated layers to the design that would help families find both solace and community as they go through one of the most significant and challenging moments of life with their severely sick child.

The new House serves 73 families and includes common spaces, kitchen and dining areas, fitness facilities, library resources, office areas, educational space, and outdoor play areas. The new facility incorporates the most current building systems available to provide for a safe environment for all children including those with compromised immune systems. The House features an innovative tilt-up CLT wood structure, and it is LEED Gold Certified.