A new building on the Campbelltown Hospital campus opened in February 2023 as part of the stage two $632 hospital redevelopment designed by Billard Leece Partnership (BLP).
The 12-storey, 450-bed project involves the refurbishment of the existing building and the addition of new facilities including an emergency department; an intensive care unit; women’s health services and maternity suites; a paediatric wing; operating theatres; and a mental health unit.
The redevelopments effectively double the size of the existing Campbelltown Hospital campus. The project has been instigated to suit the needs of Western Sydney’s growing population and increased need for more holistic health care.
BLP said the architectural response to the redevelopment involved creating a “calm and welcoming” atmosphere, making ready use of natural light, comfortable furnishings and designated recreation zones.
The new mental health unit covers seven storeys, providing care for patients of all ages, with sensory rooms, de-escalation spaces, and light-filled courtyards. In addition to the introduction of new facilities, the upgrades were designed to improve patient flow with intuitive wayfinding and navigation devices.
One key addition was the introduction of “Hospital Street” – a lofty indoor avenue lined with artworks, connecting the new and existing hospital facilities.
Image:
Brett Boardman
BLP principal and health lead Tara Veldman said the height of Hospital Street helped to negotiate the level changes between the new and existing sites. Moreover, future additions can be plugged in along the spine, future-proofing the building to service generations to come.
“The central walkway scales three levels and it travels all the way through the centre of the site. This spine provides connection to future buildings so that you can extend the facilities in the coming decades,” said Veldman.
Hospital Street also serves as an “uplifting arrival point”, filled with considered design choices and artwork selections. BLP used organic materials, such as the timber cladding defining the main reception desk, and soothing colours to engender a sense of calm. Nature-inspired illustrations by Erica Seccombe depict native flora and fauna on the walls of Hospital Street, and a feather-like sculptural work by Indigenous artist Nicole Monks hangs suspended from the ceiling.
Erica Seccombe’s drawings of Australian flora and fauna line the walls of the hospital.
Image:
Anson Smart
“We did a lot of work with the local Indigenous Elders, going for walks in the bushland of Cumberland Plains,” said Veldman. “With Erica Seccombe, we worked with the community, the design team and the hospital, drawing flora and fauna from the Cumberland Plains that we’d seen and picked. Erica then used those images in the artworks through the building.”
“Art has a healing benefit of helping people to feel calmer when going into medical treatments,” she continued.
BLP worked extensively with local Elder and 2021 Campbelltown Citizen of the Year Uncle Ivan Wellington to help design a space that was culturally sensitive to Indigenous and non-Indigenous patients alike. A Welcoming Stone was included in the outdoor space, “a beacon of safety for First Nations People,” inspired by the sacred birthing stone, and a yarning circle has also been integrated into the landscape, said Veldman.
“It’s really important that people feel comfortable and included in the building,” said Veldman. The Campbelltown Art Centre was also instrumental in engaging the local Dharawal People, facilitated and initiated some the community workshops.
Stage one of the hospital redevelopment, which cost $134 million, was completed in 2016. Stage two will consolidate stage one developments, with completion expected late 2023.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
