Australian Healthcare Design Among World’s Best

Australian architecture firm Billard Leece Partnership’s social infrastructure and healthcare design expertise is world-leading.

The Sydney-based studio has been honoured at the European Healthcare Design Awards for its mental heath design and interior design on the $632-million Campbelltown Hospital redevelopment project. 

The Campbelltown Hospital is now a major mental healthcare hub and was one of the first in Australia to unify mental health services with mainstream health.

BLP managing director Tara Veldman said patients were at the heart of the healthcare design, which incorporated patient-centric spaces and integrated six storeys of mental health services with art as a healing environment.

“It's great that we, in Australia, are at the forefront of healthcare design and are being recognised for our contribution on the world stage,” Veldman said. 

“We strive to continue to collaborate closely with our health sector partners to deliver advances in design with the aim to provide the best health care facilities in our communities.

▲ Artwork has been central to the design of a welcoming hospital campus and helped to combine the new and the old vernacular.

“We sincerely thank the European Healthcare Design committee for recognising our commitment and the team at Campbelltown Hospital for entrusting us with such a pivotal project in Greater Western Sydney.

“This is validation of our belief in design’s power to enhance mentalwell-being and healing. Our work at Campbelltown Hospital underscores our mission to createpatient-centred environments conducive to inclusion, recovery, resilience, and accessibility.”

Earlier this year the $632-million, 12-storey hospital extension was unveiled, doubling the Campbelltown Hospital capacity.

The Stage 2 Campbelltown Hospital redevelopment included the refurbishment of the existing facilities and the addition of an emergency department, intensive care unit, women’s health services and maternity suites, children’s wing, state-of-the-art operating theatres and mental health unit.

The new and refurbished buildings were designed by Billard Leece Partnership to create a healing environment that was welcoming and inclusive, with a central spine.

Veldman said it had been a lengthy process and at its peak up to 50 consultants were working on it. 

It follows a recent wave of significant public and private investment in healthcare assets across the country.