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Balancing Performance, Aesthetics, & Functionality in the Selection of Materials & Finishes

6-3-2025

Choosing materials and finishes for a new hospital isn’t just about aesthetics. These critical design elements will have a major impact on accessibility, durability, maintenance, infection prevention and control, and the overall user experience in the building.

While the right type of flooring can help prevent slips and falls, the wrong colour or material can make floors look dirty no matter how well or how often they are cleaned.

Last month, the Design Standards Committee – a multidisciplinary team of Windsor Regional Hospital (WRH) leadership - met with Interior Design Experts from the Stantec Planning, Design, and Conformance (PDC) team to determine preferred materials and finishes for the new hospital.

During a hands-on workshop led by Stantec Principal and Healthcare Interiors Lead Ena Kenny and Senior Interior Designer Laurena Clark, participants had an opportunity to learn about and look at sample options for flooring, wall protection, ceilings, and other key elements.

“It’s about finding materials that perform well while also creating an accessible and inclusive space,” said Kenny. “How do we make a space that’s aesthetically pleasing and ensure it meets both the functional needs of a hospital and all required standards?”

Kenny presented pros and cons for a variety of samples, while encouraging participants to share their own experiences with different materials used at the two current WRH campuses. She warned the group that no material is perfect and encouraged members to consider a variety of factors before making final decisions.

Key considerations when selecting materials for a new hospital:

• Durability: Can the materials withstand heavy traffic and hospital-grade cleaning and disinfecting?
• Cleanability & Facility Maintenance: Consider maintenance across the entire facility - Does it look clean and meet hygiene standards?
• Safety: Is it slip-resistant, accessible and meet infection prevention and control requirements?
• Sustainability: Does it support long-term goals for both the environment and human health?
• Affordability: How does the price compare to other similar materials? Considering both the immediate cost and the total cost of owning/ operating/maintaining over a product’s lifetime. 
• Best/Better Practices: What has worked well and what has not worked so well in other new hospital builds?

Several members of the planning team recently toured mock-up rooms at Trillium Health Partners and the South Niagara Hospital - two similar sized capital projects that are in advanced stages - and were able to draw on lessons learned from those modern concepts.

“We’re not starting from scratch,” said Kenny who has worked on dozens of hospital projects, from new builds to renovations during her 18 years with Stantec. “Each hospital project builds on the knowledge from previous ones, ensuring we apply lessons learned and use materials that have been proven to work elsewhere.”

The insights from this session were recorded by the Stantec team and will be incorporated into detailed planning as the project progresses.