The innovative room, Coup de Cœur laureate at the MNH x UAFS Trophies

This distinction rewards architectural approaches that put the quality of the built environment at the service of care and of the working conditions of healthcare professionals. Earning recognition within a French context, with its own hospital realities, confirms that the principles developed here resonate well beyond Quebec. 

The approach treats the hospital room not as a fixed standard, but as a repeatable unit whose every gain multiplies across the care unit. By bringing together clinicians, engineers, patient partners and managers around immersive simulation tools, the team was able to reassess each choice before construction even began. 

Room 1 

Room 2 

The results are tangible: the two prototypes reduce floor area by 5 to 24 % while improving ergonomics, safety and comfort. Across a 36-bed unit, this translates into up to 20 % fewer trips for staff and a bioclimatic envelope that lowers the heating load by as much as 39 %. Proof that operational efficiency and quality of the care environment can move forward together. 

Designed to be reproducible, this approach rests on performance principles rather than on a single context. A recognition that opens the door to new ground, here and elsewhere.