Construction well underway on new Ronald McDonald House in Halifax

A new Ronald McDonald House will open next year across the street from the IWK Health Centre in Halifax.

But the architects behind it say they hope it will serve as an oasis for families away from the clinical setting of the hospital.

"It's meant to be a refuge," says Robert Davies, director and principal at Montgomery Sisam Architects in Toronto.

"For these families to be able to go and try and find some calm and reduce levels of anxiety and refresh themselves so they can go back the next day and do all they need to do with their children." 

The existing Ronald McDonald House can handle up to 18 families from outside Halifax who have come to town with a child in need of specialized medical treatment. 

The new house will hold up to 36 families. The existing house will close when the new one opens.

Davies designed the building in conjunction with Eugene Pieczonka of Lydon Lynch Architects in Halifax.

Work began at the site in 2022, but activity picked up this March with construction on the exterior wall.

"The common theme was always to provide this idea or notion of a home away from home," said Pieczonka. "A lot of it has to do with this sense of welcoming, the sense of warmth and familiarity within the facility."

Outside the building, families will be able to enjoy a private walled garden, and a courtyard that will double as a play area.

On the ground floor, there will be shared living spaces and common areas, including a kitchen with multiple cooking stations, art rooms, and a lounge.  

The iconic bright red door of the existing Ronald McDonald Building won't be coming along to the new facility, but once guests open the front door, they'll be greeted by a bright red wall, say the architects.

Construction will continue over the spring and summer and into the fall, with the building expected to open to families in the first quarter of 2024.