The new home of the Hamilton Urban Core Community Health Centre (HUCCHC) is a client-focused, inclusive and vibrant community hub located in downtown Hamilton. Designed to support holistic health and wellness, the Centre fosters interdisciplinary collaboration among care providers, delivering equitable care to marginalized and racialized communities.
Creating a safe and supportive environment is the first step in addressing the stigma and discrimination these clients frequently encounter in healthcare. Services – including primary care, mental health and addiction services and therapy, dental care and chiropody – are fully integrated to ensure coordinated care and to break down silos between primary care and other health services. Through thoughtful spatial organization and wellness-informed design principles, the Centre supports a multidisciplinary approach that fosters a sense of belonging, pride of place, and improved health outcomes.
The building’s two-storey glazed lobby and entrance create a strong civic presence, welcoming visitors and community members into the Centre. The space is open, accessible and inclusive, promoting dignity, privacy and compassion for all. Visitors are drawn upward toward a second-floor courtyard – an elevated outdoor gathering space that promotes community wellness within Hamilton’s urban context. All gathering and social spaces, including a community teaching kitchen, are located on the second floor with direct connections to the central courtyard. These areas maintain strong visual connections to the main entrance and streetscape, reinforcing the relationship between interior gathering spaces and the surrounding community. These spaces are visually connected to the lobby and streetscape, ensuring a strong connection between the interior and community beyond.
The design emphasizes dignity and belonging, featuring a public-facing mural made from handprints of community members and staff. The second-floor façade, clad in an undulating wood-textured material with vertical fins, evokes organic forms that relieve tension and support well-being. On the west side, brick cladding responds to the surrounding residential character, while the overhanging east volume offers a dignified entrance to the Centre.
