Sechelt Hospital

Sechelt Hospital is the only hospital on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast. Situated on land originally donated by the Shíshálh Sechelt First Nation, the Hospital underwent a drastic expansion in order to set a new standard for healthcare in the region.

Our team designed a wayfinding program that honours, reflects and incorporates local Coast Salish themes while serving the functional needs of the hospital. Each outcome was developed with input from Vancouver Coastal Health and members of the Shíshálh Sechelt First Nation.

Client
Vancouver Coastal Health
Location
Sechelt, BC
Year
2014
Other Stakeholders
  • Shíshálh Sechelt First Nation
  • Perkins+Will Architects

The light, natural palette and Shíshálh Sechelt First Nation symbolism used throughout the wayfinding program create an authentic sense of place that enriches the signage standards.

Each floor was demarcated with a different animal symbol, providing a common-language reference point that’s memorable and easy to give as a direction. (“Meet me on the animal floor” is far more memorable than “I’m on floor 3”).

Continuing the soft colour palette, Cygnus introduced a series of exploded site and floor maps. Exploded maps communicate the integration of distinct zones and floors by showing how each area is connected to the whole. The Sechelt Hospital maps emphasize pathways and important amenities to provide an efficient route through the facility.