Grandview Kids – The Jerry Coughlan Building, Ajax, Ontario
Grandview Kids‘ new headquarters in Ajax, Ontario, supports children with developmental, physical, and communication needs, housing rehabilitation, medical, and clinical services as well as education and research activities under one roof.
Designed by Parkin Architects (Toronto), the 100,306-square-foot facility, also known as the Jerry Coughlan Building, prioritizes how children experience space emotionally, physically, and cognitively.
Guided by the goal to ensure pediatric rehabilitation—including occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and speech-language pathology—feels engaging rather than intimidating, the building features a bright color palette, playful architectural features, and inclusive design strategies to create a welcoming environment for patients and families.
Designing to support therapy and rehabilitation
Opened in November 2024, the 4-story facility sets the tone for this experience starting with the façade design, which features white exterior panels animated with an abstract, flowing graphic in vibrant blues, greens, and purples. At ground level, extensive glass curtain walls incorporate pink, blue, and purple glazing, which casts dynamic, colorful light into the double-height lobby.
Inside the lobby, a large-scale mobile art installation hangs above modern, modular furniture arranged in flexible groupings. The design emphasizes inclusivity by integrating varied seating options for different mobility needs, dedicated wheelchair spaces, wide circulation paths, and a curved reception desk accessible to both children and wheelchair users.
Bright, calming colors such as yellows, blues, and greens help distinguish program areas and facilitate intuitive wayfinding. Additionally, colored orientation circles placed throughout the building are used by clinicians to evaluate children’s cognitive recognition abilities, effectively transforming the architecture into an active component of treatment.
Overcoming site challenges
A challenging slope on the building site inspired a highly functional architectural solution: a sunken garden integrated with a main-level therapy pool. Placing the pool at grade with the main entrance ensures seamless accessibility for all users.
To maximize daylight and views, the design team carved a terraced garden directly into the slope. This alignment allows children in the water to enjoy clear views of the surrounding greenery and sky. Opaque film applied along the top of the pool’s glazing maintains user privacy from the public routes above the gardens.
Grandview Kids – The Jerry Coughlan Building, Ajax, Ontario, project details
Location: Ajax, Ontario
Completion date: November 2024
Owner: Grandview Kids
Total building area: 100,306 sq. ft.
Total construction cost: $61.5 million
Cost/sq. ft.: $614
Architect: Parkin Architects
Interior designer: Parkin Architects
Art consultant: Anne Carlyle of Carlyle Design Associates
Project details are provided by the design team and not vetted by Healthcare Design.
