Showcase
Progress
Viewpoint

NEW ROYAL CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, MELBOURNE
OPENS TO THE COMMUNITY

HM Queen Elizabeth II opened the $1.1b new Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH), Melbourne on October 26, 2011 five years after the release of the initial Public Private Partnership (PPP) bid. The 165,000sqm facility is likely to set a new design benchmark for hospitals worldwide.

Bates Smart Director Sheree Proposch describes the event:

"The Queen and Prince Philip toured the facility, including the Emergency Department which features a two level aquarium, the Ambulatory Care Clinics with meerkat enclosure, the Operating Theatres with inter-operative MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), and the 'starfish shaped' inpatient unit.

"The Queen was particularly taken by the meercats and their ability to distract and entertain children.

44 - queen

Read more... View gallery...

MAIN STREET
THE SOCIAL HEART OF THE HOSPITAL

Director Kristen Whittle explains the significance of Main Street, a six storey light filled atrium that provides a hub to the Royal Children's Hospital.

"Main Street is the social heart of the project and also its defining idea.

"It is the primary wayfinding device in the project as well as its information centre and public interface. It allows natural light, views and open access to the garden courtyards as well as to Royal Park.

25 - sip 1607

Read more... View gallery...

KRISTEN WHITTLE
DESIGN PROCESS

1 - big quote

Bates Smart Director Kristen Whittle talks about the evolution of the distinctive facades at the Royal Children's Hospital, "Gardens have been proven to be a natural source of restoration.
12 - leaves to screens

7 - kristen

Read more...

SHEREE PROPOSCH
DESIGNING IN THE LIGHT

1 - big quote

Director Sheree Proposch explains  "The RCH masterplan challenge was to assemble the component parts, using narrow floor plates, to closely connect to the external environment, and achieve the functional relationships with minimal travel distances.

Read more...

DESIGN FOCUS
A SENSE OF PLACE

1 - big quote

Hospitals have traditionally assisted the needy or healed the sick; however not all patients are ill. 

Read more...

CREATIVE COLLABORATION
JADE OAKLEY'S SKY GARDEN

8 - big quote 172

Bates Smart has a history of successful commissions of artwork to enliven the built environment. This has never been more apparent than in the new Royal Children’s Hospital.

Read more...

SHEREE PROPOSCH
NEW WAYS TO DELIVER CARE

2 - quote

Bates Smart Director Sheree Proposch explains that an Emergency Department (ED) is in effect a ‘front door’ of a hospital, whereby around one third of the patients could eventually require admittance to the inpatient unit.

It is an environment with high levels of emotion and activity, multidisciplinary diagnostics and complex decision making.


Read more...

BATES SMART PEOPLE
THE TEAM BEHIND RCH

1 - learning from rch

The Bates Smart team worked closely with a dedicated team of healthcare professionals from the bid phase in 2006 through to completion in 2011. 

Leanne Guy, Mirjana Sazunic and Mark Healey reflect on their experience.

LEANNE GUY
LEAD HEALTH PLANNER + INTERIOR DESIGNER

“It was a great privilege and a remarkable experience to work with a dedicated team of design and healthcare professionals on the new Royal Children’s Hospital, which I believe will become a significant public building for Melbourne and Victoria.” says Leanne Guy.

Read more...

MARK HEALEY
LEAD INTERIOR DESIGNER

"The Royal Children's Hospital project was a deeply complex and rich experience," says Mark Healey.

"The Public Private Partnership(PPP) process was a new experience for most, but one which ultimately produced a remarkable product which will serve Melbourne and Victoria's children for many years to come.

Read more...

MIRJANA SAZUNIC
LEAD DESIGN ARCHITECT

Lead design architect Mirjana Sazunic has spent the past 4 years on the RCH project and found the experience to be both profoundly challenging and rewarding.

Read more...