The new welcome area for the Indigenous Health Program at UHN’s Toronto Western hospital provides a warm and culturally sensitive environment for patients. Brook McIlroy’s Indigenous Design Studio provided key design narratives through Schematic Design with C& Partners, the prime consultant. Together, they designed a space that is warm and inviting, with familiar and important motifs carved into the space's wood ceiling and wall panels

Privacy screens that face the central atrium of the hospital allow for natural light while providing intimacy and more opportunities to feature traditional imagery and patterns. Finally, a small display area for art, pottery, and textiles provides a rotating showcase of Indigenous culture that is visible to patients inside the space and passersby alike.

These tailored elements are intended to create a safe environment for Indigenous communities. This is especially important as colonial healthcare settings have historically often been a site of conflict and complication. By providing a sense of ambient and explicit belonging, the design aims to mitigate these negative memories and traumas for Indigenous patients and their families.