Janeway Children’s Health & Rehabilitation Centre

Client

Eastern Health

Location

St. John’s, NL

Date Completed

August 2019

Project Team

Wood Group

Recognition

2022 Award of Landscape Excellence, Landscape Newfoundland and Labrador

Project Summary

The Janeway Health & Rehabilitation Centre is the only children’s hospital in the province. The main entry had become congested, confusing and uninviting, making worse an already unwelcome experience (a trip to the hospital) for many children. Concrete barriers littered the space which lacked amenities such as benches or landscaping. Our team was engaged to design a revitalized space which aimed to be playful, colourful and fun, enticing children of all ages to explore, encouraging healing and reducing the anxiety associated with a trip to the hospital.

 The site sits atop a parking garage, so the existing ground could not be disturbed. Large, brightly coloured circular planters were designed to add a sense of whimsy, provide the soil necessary for plant growth, and maintain positive drainage. The planters also incorporated a variety of sitting and play options. CNC plasma cutting technology was used to fabricate all metalwork, including cutouts of fish, the hospital’s mascot, and the Janeway logo. The province’s iconic cod was chosen as a recognizable form to celebrate in colour. These fish cutouts “swim” through a “sea” of ornamental grasses tempting the imagination and stimulating the senses.