New facilities for the Alan Edwards Center for Research on Pain (AECRP), located in the “new wing” of McGill University’s Lyman Duff Medical Building, built in the 1960s.
This new center houses laboratories, teaching spaces, and administrative offices. Designed as McGill’s new central hub for pain research, it brings together the AECRP’s administrative team and research staff under one roof.
The interiors of the basement, ground floor, and second floor of the new wing of the Lyman Duff Medical Building were completely demolished and reconfigured to accommodate the center. In addition to architectural and structural work, the electrical and mechanical systems were fully replaced to create a modern facility dedicated to pain research.
The project involved several specific challenges. The architect and client designed a layout aimed at fostering quiet, intimate research spaces, which required rigorous attention to acoustic performance down to the smallest details.
Another requirement was ensuring full compliance with the Canadian Biosafety Standard to achieve Containment Level 2. Careful coordination was essential, especially given the limited ceiling space typical of older buildings.
Finally, the project was carried out in close collaboration with all stakeholders to obtain LEED Gold certification.
