St John of God Berwick Hospital, VIC

STH have completed the first two stages of a medical precinct for St John of God Health, at Berwick, Victoria. The first stage was a specialist clinic with day oncology, and radiology, completed in 2015. The second stage is significantly larger, with a 5 storey hospital that contains a total of 210 beds, including 70 inpatient beds, a 22 bed maternity unit, 6 bed Intensive Care Unit and 6 birthing suites. There are also 6 operating theatres, 2 endoscopy theatres, and a dedicated cardiac/vascular catheter laboratory. Education and research facilities, consulting, and a 350 car basement carpark are included in the precinct. The masterplan facilitates additional growth as required for beds and theatres, to support the increasing demographic in Casey and Kardinia.

The architectural design responds to the site, and is an expression of the function, using a deep podium at the base for clinical functions, and a tower form for the inpatient units. The podium is given expression through the application of a broad horizontal aluminium framing ribbon in order to anchor the composition and the tower uses a similar strategy to frame the building forms, but in this case in a finer framing ribbon. A pattern of glass spandrel panels provides visual interest from the Monash Freeway and from Kangan Drive, as a beacon.

The interior palette used is a base palette of natural tones, warm greys, timber, clear whites and charcoal highlights. These reflect the common tones of the natural landscape. The intention is to create a tranquil, welcoming and calming environment which facilitates a sense of hope, healing, privacy, learning and information exchange for all; The graphics applied within the hospital, and colours used, will incorporate imagery which references the Pomegranate, a plant that has historical connections with SJOG.

PROJECT SIZE: 30,000 m²

STATUS: Completed 2018

CLIENT: St John of God Health Care and North West Healthcare Properties REIT

PHOTOGRAPHY: Dianna Snape BACK