After nearly a decade of work, Phase 1 of the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal is complete. The project team included Obrascón Huarte Lain, Laing O’Rourke, along with CannonDesign and Neuf Architects. Begun in 2009, the CHUM teaching institution is one of the largest healthcare public-private partnership projects in Canada.
Initially structured as a two-phased project, the design of the campus arrangement and architecture were reconfigured in order to accelerate development. As a 
result, Phase 1 delivers the hospital’s core healthcare capabilities, including all patient rooms, all operating theatres, diagnostic and therapeutics, as well as the oncology program, leaving only offices, a conference center, a few ambulatory spaces and additional parking for Phase 2.
With social infrastructure and urban renewal as integral components to the project, the 22-story complex, spanning over 3 million square feet and encompassing two full city blocks, will play an important role in regenerating the neglected East end of Montreal’s downtown core, reconnecting the city’s urban fabric and anchoring the Quartier de la Santé, Montreal’s new healthcare district.
Throughout the project, parametric design was utilized on the building envelope, along with 3-D-printed models used with coordination, an innovative approach to the integration of heritage components and an intense use of technology to facilitate communication between team members from across the globe.
Each of the 772 rooms includes ample space for family involvement, and expansive windows offering some of the best views of the city. Importantly, the entire building follows universal design principles, and the vast majority of the 12,000+ rooms in the building were designed following a small number of standardized room templates.
