Victoria’s only children’s hospice in Malvern has reopened following a redevelopment of the facility, completed by Andrew Simpson Architects and Barbarra Bamford.
The new Sister Margaret Noone Hospice at Very Special Kids House on Glenferrie Road has been designed to be a place of comfort and diversion for paediatric palliative care residents. Brought to life as a vibrant, bright home-away-from-home, the facility features a soft play area, bedrooms, music and art therapy spaces, outdoor courtyard areas, wheelchair-accessible playground, a hydrotherapy pool, sensory room, storage spaces for medical equipment, as well as resident therapy dog, Jaffa.
Bird’s-eye view of the playground.
Image:
Courtesy of Very Special Kids
Sister Margaret Noone and two families who lost their children to cancer formed the children’s charity Very Special Kids in the 1980s with the objective of providing better end-of-life care, resources and support. The first Very Special Kids House was later opened in 1996 by Sister Margaret Noone, and since then has provided support to thousands of kids. Due to advancements in technology and clinical care, the hospice was decommissioned in 2021 to make way for the new facility. The overall project involved more than six years of planning and construction.
Hydrotherapy pool.
Image:
Courtesy of Very Special Kids
Very Special Kids CEO Michael Wasley said the new house will have direct and significant positive impacts on improving the quality of life of residents and their families.
“The clinical needs of children today are significantly more advanced than they were 25 years ago. Children are living longer with these conditions into adolescence, placing higher needs upon their families as full-time carers,” Wasley said.
“The new Very Special Kids House is a world-class facility that will make a real difference in the lives of Victoria’s sickest children and their families when they need support most. It is a place of refuge and safety.”
Source: Architecture - architectureau
