Overview
Grace Medical Clinic & Pharmasave is a full-service family medical clinic and retail pharmacy located within the Sage Hill Crossing retail development in northwest Calgary. The project converted three adjacent shell retail units — totalling approximately 3,700 square feet — into a unified, fully operational healthcare facility. The program includes ten exam rooms, a specialist office, nurse stations, a laboratory, a sanitization room, a Pharmasave dispensary with a Level C compounding room, a children's play area, and barrier-free washrooms. PiXEL Architecture Studio provided full architectural services as prime consultant, from interior design and building code review through development and building permit approvals with the City of Calgary and multi-discipline consultant coordination, through to construction administration and occupancy.
Design Challenge
The primary challenge was unifying three separate retail shells into a coherent, code-compliant healthcare environment — navigating the Alberta Building Code requirements for a Group D (Business and Personal Services) occupancy with integrated pharmacy use, while meeting the operational standards of a busy family medical clinic and a NAPRA-compliant compounding pharmacy. The design also had to balance clinical functionality with a welcoming, anxiety-reducing atmosphere appropriate for patients of all ages.
Design Response
The design pairs warm wood slat feature walls and custom millwork with black accents and a marble-look reception desk — a material palette that evokes hospitality rather than clinical sterility, softening the patient experience while maintaining full regulatory compliance. Custom street-sign-themed wayfinding guides patients through the exam corridors, reinforcing a community-focused brand identity and making navigation intuitive in a complex multi-function floor plan. The Pharmasave dispensary and compounding room were carefully planned to meet NAPRA model standards, with dedicated workflow zones, controlled access, and appropriate mechanical ventilation — all coordinated under a single prime consultant scope.
