Health Series: Healing hospitals beyond medicine
A hospital should help you heal — in every way.
As Australia’s healthcare system faces growing demand and shifting models of treatment, we have an opportunity to rethink how our healthcare buildings are planned.
Beyond clinical functionality, hospitals must be places that promote wellbeing, respond to diverse communities, and support the people who work within them.
We believe design plays a key role in achieving this balance.
Claudia Fleuter
Studio Director, Bates Smart
Rising construction complexity
Material costs may be easing, but construction remains costly. Why?
High labour demand and increasing project complexity continue to drive up expenses—especially in health infrastructure.
Governments and delivery partners are adapting by bundling projects, segmenting workstreams and using smarter delivery models. But process innovation alone won’t solve long-term affordability.
To build more affordably, we must also innovate in design—simplifying systems, designing for flexibility, and planning for future use.
Evolving workforce needs
Everyone needs quality healthcare. But our essential health workforce is under enormous strain. We must attract and retain top professionals — and support them to thrive.
Thoughtful design can help — from rest areas with natural light, to floorplans that reduce walking distances, to smart tech that frees up time for face-to-face care.
The tougher the job, the harder the workplace must work — supporting engagement with nature, nourishment, social connection, and physical activity.
Public Architecture Jury
2018 AIA National Architecture Awards
Addressing environmental responsibility
The healthcare sector generates nearly 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions — with energy, waste and transport among the biggest contributors.
Hospitals are increasingly moving to all-electric systems powered by renewables, and adopting smarter approaches to waste and recycling. With national sustainability standards on the horizon, these shifts are vital to reducing operational carbon.
Now it’s time to tackle embodied carbon. How can we build low-carbon hospitals that still deliver excellent care and support staff wellbeing? Material selection and building optimisation are the next frontier in healthcare sustainability.
Maximising our social impact
There’s no such thing as neutral space in architecture — all buildings have a social impact. In healthcare, culturally sensitive design is essential to improving outcomes and supporting equity.
Hospitals are part of the public realm — everyone should feel welcome, respected and supported. That looks different for different people, so inclusive design must be place-specific and community-informed.
South Sea Islander descendants and local Indigenous groups played a vital role in shaping the interpretation and storytelling of the Tweed Valley Hospital site, ensuring cultural authenticity and respect in its transformation into a new community hospital.
In our last post for this health series we acknowledge the importance of context in the design of these critical buildings, and we recognise the communities they serve in meaningful and enduring ways.
Mark Healey
Director, Bates Smart
