Foothills Maternity Clinic

Foothills Maternity engaged Aray to deliver a complete clinic fit-out in Trinity Hills, Calgary - 2,581 sq.ft. of welcoming, residential-inspired care space on a tight budget and an efficient timeline. The client asked for an atmosphere that felt calm and human, yet performed with the rigor of a modern health environment. Our role spanned the full journey - from test fit through schematic and design development, construction documents, tender coordination, permit support, and construction administration - aligning brand, budget, and building systems with the realities of daily clinical use.

Challenge

The project was designed to balance warmth and clinical performance while adhering to a strict budget and schedule. As a first tenant in a new build, the plan had to meet the City of Calgary’s requirements for life safety and barrier-free access while protecting patient privacy, shortening staff travel paths, and accommodating practitioner workflows. Hidden costs were identified early to keep costs predictable, and included items such as automated door operators, vestibule sequencing, and landlord-provided infrastructure that excluded the tenant’s electrical panel.

“Elevated doesn’t require excess. By investing where impact is highest and simplifying with intention, you can deliver residential warmth within a clinical framework - on time and on budget.”

Approach

We started with clarity. A concise test fit established room counts, sightlines, and circulation before any finish decisions, ensuring the plan respected accessibility circulation, door swings, and universal washroom geometry from day one. We collaborated closely with YJE (M+E) to coordinate such items as ceilings, diffusers, airflow requirements, plumbing wall locations, coring, lighting drivers, power and data, and Z32 electrical requirements . Cost was stewarded by investing in a few felt moments - arrival, reception, and patient-facing touchpoints - while simplifying elsewhere with durable, maintainable specifications. Early dialogue with the GC and landlord surfaced permit paths and “must-haves” (push-buttons, vestibule clearances), allowing us to budget for them rather than react to them. Success was defined as an elevated medical environment that reads residentially warm, wins approvals cleanly, and stays within target investment.

Design Response

The plan resolves into a compact, efficient “donut” circulation: a central service spine with double-loaded corridors that shorten staff steps and make wayfinding intuitive. Exam rooms are oriented for right-handed providers, while door and bed placement protect dignity so patients are never exposed to the corridor. The material and color story is quietly restorative - warm wood LVT, durable solid-surface counters, and softened green accents tuned to the brand. Curved archway moments create a gentle threshold from reception to clinical, while an abstract landscape wallcovering in treatment rooms offers positive distraction without visual noise. At the front of house, higher ceilings, perimeter lay-in LED elements, and a residential-scale pendant lift the mood, while linear acoustic baffles calm the room. Barrier-free clearances, code circulation requirements, and automated operators are integrated, not appended - so accessibility enhances the experience rather than dictating it. Site constraints - including a parkade below - drove thoughtful coring coordination, while minor shifts to back-of-house rooms preserved intent and cost.

Results & Impact

Foothills Maternity opened on schedule and within the target budget, with a built environment that matches the approved renderings and feels exactly as intended: calm, caring, and quietly elevated. Staff report smoother turnover thanks to compact circulation and standardized right-handed layouts, while patients experience a warm arrival and privacy-first rooms. Approvals were predictable, and the design’s cost intelligent- prefab vanities, shiplap in lieu of tile where appropriate, and strategic lighting, all designed to create value without compromising performance. Post-occupancy, we’re tracking patient impressions, acoustic comfort in waiting, and operational efficiency to inform the next generation of clinics.

Key Takeaways

Elevated doesn’t require excess. By investing where impact is highest and simplifying with intention, you can deliver residential warmth within a clinical framework - on time and on budget. Planning accessibility from the outset preserves space, protects dignity, and avoids costly redraws. Collaboration with M+E partners accelerates clarity, from true 0% dimming to plumbing wall logic. Most of all, designing to the human workflow, including right-handed layouts, protected sightlines, acoustic comfort - turns empathy into measurable operational gains.

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