Durham Spine & Pain Institute, Ajax, Ontario, Canada: Photo Tour

The project features acoustical and biophilic design strategies to support the patient experience for those going through pain management care.

Published: May 19, 2025Posted by Tracey Walker

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Durham Spine & Pain Institute, Ajax, Ontario, Canada

The Durham Spine & Pain Institute completed a full interior fit-out of a pain clinic and treatment center located on the third floor of a new commercial building in Ajax, Ontario, Canada.

Designed to support patients on their journey through pain management, the clinic features a calm environment with acoustical design strategies to support patient needs.

The clinic includes a reception area, consultation rooms, procedure and treatment rooms, and an infusion lounge adjacent to a centrally located nurses’ station. Dedicated staff areas incorporate offices, meeting rooms, and a lounge.

Clinic layout

Upon entry, patients are greeted in the reception area by a maple wood laminate screen wall and ceiling; the reception desk features solid-maple wood tambour material and earth-colored stoneware tiles.

Designed as a spoke and wheel model, the reception and the nurses’ station are at the center of the layout to ensure visual and operational control of the clinic. Referencing spa and wellness environments, architectural elements including wood screens that wrap the reception and nurses’ station deliver a cohesive and branded care experience.

Architecture firm Lebel & Bouliane (Toronto) led the design and coordination of all project components, including mechanical, electrical, security, furniture, and specialized clinical requirements.

To ensure compliance with Ontario Ministry of Health (MoH) standards for fluoroscopy suites, consultants at Radiation Science Research Consulting and Training (Toronto) calculated the radiation absorption of the building’s materials, providing the specification for lead-lined walls, doors, and door frames of suites. To meet the MoH requirements for contamination containment, existing heat pumps were upgraded, relocated, and automated through a central building automation system.

The clinic’s technical program integrates C-arm (fluoroscopy) imaging machines, procedure room systems, ultrasound displays, autoclaves, laboratory refrigerators, and infusion chairs.

Meeting clinical design standards

The material palette balances natural aesthetics with strict clinical standards. All finishes are non-porous, and the flooring throughout is finished in a single-component epoxy coating that’s free of volatile organic compounds for durability and ease of maintenance.

Interior plantings—including artificial grasses, preserved moss, and botanicals treated with natural oils and dyes—offer the visual warmth of nature without the need for water or soil.

In response to growing demand for treatments related to chronic pain and the aging population, a 2,300-square-foot expansion is underway. Expected to be completed in Fall 2025, the new phase will introduce a secondary nurses’ station and waiting area, including three additional fluoroscopy suites, two treatment rooms, and a recovery room.