THE CENTENNIAL PAVILION

The most recent and possibly final major addition to the Royal Victoria Hospital occurred in conjunction with the hospital’s one hundredth anniversary in 1993-1994, and was named the Centennial Pavilion. The approximately forty year period which preceded its construction was the longest in which the Royal Victoria had not seen the addition of a new pavilion, and as a result the new building had the difficult task of ameliorating deficiencies in several departments, most notably emergency services.

Much like the New Wing of 1955, difficulties in terms of site placed major constraints on the design and demanded a high degree of creativity from the architects: Larose, Petrucci & Associates. The need to re-centralize the hospital services to a modern standard logically implied a central position on the hospital grounds, in the form of a small and steeply sloping site to the rear of the New Wing but below the retaining wall of the Women's pavilion. The construction necessitated the demolition of the Interns’ Residence, which had stood on the foundations of the original laundry building and dated back to the mid 1890’s.

Access to the building is provided by ramp and circular drive from the head of University Street. The emergency services for which the building was primarily intended are located on the first floor, with the floors above housing critical care and laboratory space. Direct access from the Centennial Pavilion is accomplished through three separate covered walkways to the New Wing, Ross and Women's Pavilions.

A full description of the Centennial Pavilion in the words of its architect are available in the transcription of an interview with Mr. Gilles Larose, of Larose, Petrucci & Associates.