Parkin Architects’s design of Red Fish Healing Centre for Mental Health and Addiction is a North American milestone. It is believed to be the first large-scale facility dedicated specifically to the concurrent treatment of mental health and addictions.

Named after the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) word for the sockeye salmon that once thrived in the Coquitlam River, the Centre moves beyond traditional clinical models by placing cultural heritage and trauma-informed design at the core of the recovery process. This is most vividly realized in the Hummingbird Room, a cedar-lined sanctuary co-designed with the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm First Nation to facilitate traditional indoor smudging and indigenous healing practices.

The architecture serves as a physical roadmap for the recovery journey. The seven-storey facility is organized by acuity, allowing clients to progress through different levels of the building as they gain stability and independence. Each floor features fifteen private bedrooms alongside shared lounges and family visit rooms, balancing the need for personal dignity with the benefits of communal support.

By replacing traditional high-walled layouts with open, transparent sightlines, the design fosters a sense of safety and connection that reduces the institutional feel often found in behavioral health spaces.

The natural environment was a primary driver of the building’s form. To preserve the site’s significant mature tree canopy, the design team utilized angled patient wings rather than a standard rectilinear layout. This decision ensures that every patient room and staff zone is oriented toward the forest or landscaped courtyards, maximizing the restorative power of natural light and greenery.

The exterior cladding draws inspiration from the surrounding natural environment and the building’s purpose. A predominant white façade evokes the protective wrapping of traditional wool robes. Blues and greens reflect the sky, river, and forest, while ochre tones pay homage to the red cedar and salmon, both central to the region’s ecosystem and culture.

Innovation extends into the Centre’s technical infrastructure, which includes a cutting-edge telehealth system that keeps clients connected to their families and remote care providers. This focus on connectivity – whether to nature, culture, or community – defines the facility’s mission.

By integrating modern clinical needs with sustainable materials and First Nations traditions, the Red Fish Healing Centre serves as a visionary model for how architecture can support the complex, holistic needs of those on the path to recovery.

Design: Parkin Architects
Photography: Andor Geller Photography Ltd