HEALTHCARE //09

ROYAL CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL Mi:LBOURNE, VI'C BILLARD LEECE PARTNERSHIP AND BATES SMART

PHOTOGRAPHY: JOHN GO LUNGS AND SHANNON MCGRATH

T he new Royal Children's Hospital is based on ideas around a family ­centred care model that puts children and their pa rents at the

£entre of the facility. The therapeutic benefits of nature underpin the overall design, the story derived fro m the natural textures, forms , patination and colours of ~urrounding Royal Park.

DESIGN DESCRIPTION Using evidence-based design principles, the Royal Children's Hospital reflects changing healthcare practices, workplace patterns. user expectations . communit y aspirations and environmental responsi­bi lity. The built environment is infused with the experience of nature which creates an enriching and restorative environment for children , staff and the public. Considered detailing invites the human touch. respect· fully acknowledges the child and provides a safe environment while deinst itutional­is ing the hospital genre.

The architectural approach is informed by the native bushland setting of Royal Park, the built environment is infused with the experience of nature which provides

therapeutic and healing effects for the children and a hopeful backdrop for visitors.

The building is split into a campus masterplan with a central street joining new public gardens to the north and southwes t . The north orientation breaks away from the city gr id and turns instead to the park allowing the co llection of buildings to have light-fi lled landscaped gardens around their fu ll perimeter. avoiding a 'front and back' portrayal and enhancing the connection between child and park .

The use of narrow footprints for the clin ical buildings provides natural light to enter all corners of the hospital. The natural slope of the site meant that the new facilities could link to the park at three different levels intertwining the hospital with its park setting.

The inpat ient unit building is designed in a star shape, connecting the rooms to the park . More than 80 per cent of the rooms have park views. others look into court­yards. Specially designed glass sunshades on the hospital's exterior allow activity in

09i / HEAL THCARE

the grounds below to be viewed from the patient's bed . Bedroom spaces. 85 per cent single occupancy. have been designed to be calm and comforting. befitting a place of recovery and respite. Medical procedures are conducted away from the bedroom whenever possible, leaving the bedroom to be a haven for rest and family time .

The main feature of the building is the sweep of coloured 'leaf' blades along Flemington Road. Fabricated in curved panels, they provide protection from the sun whilst also creating a shimmering organic structure and identity for the new hospital.

At the heart of the new facility is the si x storey 'Main Street', a naturally lit public thoroughfare which links the elements of the hospital together and invites community through retail offerings, places to meet and eat. performance space. playgrounds , a meerkat enclosure and aquarium, large scale artworks and interactive video screens. Partnerships with Melbourne Zoo, Scienceworks Museum and Hoyts cinema resulted in these popular

activities for children and families which distract and engage the imagination of all age group s.

Recognising the health of the environment and the health of people are inextricably linked, the new hospital campus delivers a holistic approach to sustainability- environmental. emotional, physical and psychological.

The integrated design solution separates support from clinical areas, enabling shut down of areas not required to run 24 hours per day; provides views to parkland wherever possible: optimises natural daylight; and significantly reduces the carbon footprint through a combination of tri-generation, bio-mass heating, solar thermal panels and water conservation including blackwater treatment and rainwater recovery among other initiatives. Energy efficiency measures mean the hospital produces 45 per cent less greenhouse gas emissions compared to a conventional hospital and water saving measures achieve at least a 20 per cent reduction in water use.

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FU).~J~ ARE A 16S.O_.U S-

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PICTURED 1 fa(ade {photography by John Gollmgs)

2. he matnstreet {photography by John Golhn&•l

3. 1 he mam street (photography by John Golhngs)

4. Patient bedroom (photography by Shannon M(Gr Jlh)

5. mbulatory <are (photography by John Gollmgs)

PEOPLE DESIGN TEAM Ron Billard (project director planning). Kristen Whittle (design director), Mark Mitchell and Sheree Proposch {health architecture directors), Jeff Copolov (interior design di rector), Mark Healey (lead interior designer), Lucy Best. Rosemary Burne, Roger Chapman, Andrew Francis. Carlos Lay, Wayne Rowett. Mirjana Sazunic CLIENT Department of Health, State Government of Victoria BUILDER/PROJECT MANAGER Lend Lease SPECIALIST PAEDIATRIC ADVISOR HKS

PRODUCTS

LANDSCAPE CONSULTANT Land Design Partnership STRUCTURAL/ CIVIL CONSULTANT lrwinconsult BUILDING SERVICES/ ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT Norman Disney & Young ACOUSTIC CONSULTANT Marshall Day BUILDING SURVEYOR McKenzie Group Consulting WAY FINDING CONSULTANT Buro North DDA CONSULTANT Morris Goding Access Consultant ILLUSTRATOR Jane Reiseger

DOUBLE GLAZED UNITS PERMASTEELISA, MINESCO, A&B ALUMINIUM I POLISHED CONCRETE PANELS SA PRECAST I SAND BLASTED PRECAST PANELS WESTKON & SA PRECAST] FEATURE RENDER TO FA<;ADE MUREX ~ REVOLVING TWO WING MAIN ENTRY DOOR PERMASTEELISA laminated glass sun shades I INTERNAL CUSTOM JOINERY GOSA. IJF. JACARANDA, VOS JOINERY I FIBREGLASS FEATURE RECEPTION DESKS VOS JOINERY I WORKSTATIONS STEELCASE I VINYL ARMSTRONG nylex I CARPET GODFREY HIRST I TILING BARON FORGE

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