The Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Stabilization Unit (CAPSU) at Surrey Memorial Hospital in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, is a specialized unit for children and teenagers with urgent mental health issues requiring a five- to seven-day stay in the hospital for stabilization.

The 10-bed unit opened in May 2017 in a renovated space previously occupied by the hospital’s emergency department.

Renovation challenges at Surrey Memorial Hospital

A major challenge faced in the design process was how to configure the space given that there was only one exterior window to bring in natural daylight. Through a collaborative and Lean-based planning process, KRA—Kirsten Reite Architecture (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) worked with clinicians to remove redundant programing, which allowed the space to be opened up.

The project team also defined a back-of-house area for staff and created a large, open multipurpose lounge, dining, and activity space for patients.

Surrey Memorial Hospital Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Short Stay Unit Project Details:

Facility name: Surrey Memorial Hospital Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Short Stay Unit

Location: Surrey, British Columbia, Canada

Completion date:  May 2017

Owner: Fraser Health Authority

Total unit area: 5,920 sq. ft.

Total construction cost: $2.8 million

Cost/sq. ft.: Approx. $470

Architect: KRA—Kirsten Reite Architecture

Interior designer: KRA—Kirsten Reite Architecture

Environmental graphics: Signals Design Group

Contracting/Construction: Kinetic Construction Ltd.

Engineering: Bush, Bohlman and Partners (structural), AME Consulting Group Ltd. (mechanical), MMM Group Limited (electrical)