The Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) is an architectural landmark that stands as a powerful symbol of human rights awareness and education. Its striking design seamlessly blends natural materials with innovative engineering, creating an immersive and thought-provoking experience for visitors. The museum's interior is defined by four distinct stone applications, including the luminous alabaster ramps that guide guests through the exhibits and the basalt columns in the Garden of Contemplation, which add depth and tranquility to the space. Designed to evoke reflection and engagement, these elements contribute to the museum's unique atmosphere, reinforcing its mission through both form and function.

Engaged early in the design process, PICCO Engineering's stone engineering team collaborated closely with the design team to source the appropriate stone and develop key interior elements. Our comprehensive services encompassed everything from shop drawings and engineering to shop tickets, mock-ups, calculations, project management, and BIM modeling, ensuring we remained involved throughout the construction phase. For the alabaster ramps, our team traveled to Spain to meet with the supplier, where we reviewed the material, assessed the fabricator's capabilities, and established quality control parameters. The architects specifically sought the whitest alabaster, aiming to eliminate the gray variations often found in some samples.

Once PICCO evaluated the testing results to confirm the stone's strength, we designed an anchoring system that would prevent shadowing through the stone connections. Several mock-ups were tested with various lighting angles to assess feasibility. The CMHR stands as one of Canada's first large-scale projects of extreme complexity, relying on interdisciplinary collaboration to effectively utilize virtual models for real-time interaction. With up to 40 companies spanning eight cities across North America and Europe, the CMHR has become a source of pride and a testament to what is achievable when passion, hard work, and innovation come together to advance the industry's knowledge and experience.