UBC Hospital Purdy Pavilion Sacred Space

Completed in June of 2017, the UBCH Purdy Pavilion Sacred Space project involved the renovation conversion of the UBC Hospital Purdy Pavilion ground floor lobby reception area and offices into a public accessible inter-faith space dedicated to spiritual care. The resulting Sacred Space is open to people of all faiths at the hospital as well as residents of Purdy Pavilion. It provides an indoor area for smudging and pipe ceremonies, making it easier for our Indigenous peoples to observe important parts of the traditional Aboriginal healing journey. The project involved interior demolition of the reception area rooms to create a room appropriately sized for small gatherings as well as individual use. A dedicated manually controlled exhaust system was installed to facilitate various aboriginal ceremonies such as smudging. A custom wood ceiling was installed as well as a clerestory window strip at the entry, all to enhance and respect the special character of the space.