Perth Children's Hospital

Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH) is a new specialist paediatric hospital providing world-class medical care to children and adolescents up to the age of 16. The 298-bed facility provides in-patient and out-patient care, as well as significant integrated medical research and educational facilities. Designed from the perspective of a child, PCH employs a playful design approach to reduce anxiety, foster human connectivity and embrace the healing power of nature. Conceptual Framework • The brief was to create a family-friendly hospital specifically designed around the needs of children and their support networks. • The building was inspired by its distinctly West Australian surrounds. • Everything has been considered from the perspective of a child, using colour and whimsy to reduce the anxiety of patients and their families. Relationship of Built Form to Context • Inspired by the adjacent King’s Park, the building references the form of a stem and petals. The fanning petals house the wards, offering natural light and views from every room; the meandering stem connects the petals and forms a primary movement gallery. • Filled with activity and light, the gallery becomes the spine of the building, connecting its diverse array of functions. • Internally, the bursts of wildflowers that sweep the State are referenced through colour. Colour, used intensively in concentrated areas rather than broadly brushed throughout, acts as a means of wayfinding and method of distraction. • PCH connects into the existing QE11 hospital via a bridge and underground tunnel. Key public and clinical functions have been carefully positioned to provision for future connectivity. Program Resolution • The organic form of the building provides an ideal layout for patient observation, with the perimeter given over to patients and the more open central areas for staff to observe, work and provide support across the unit. • Most of the rooms are single occupancy, providing families with a feeling of control over their own space. • Bedrooms revolve around family, allowing parents to stay comfortably overnight and to personalise their environment. • The wondrous atrium has been designed so that there are no visual impediments to seeing even the smallest child. Response to Client and User Needs • Everything has been considered from a child's viewpoint. Sills are lowered; artwork added to ceilings; medical equipment diminished in scale through colour and form; seating pods become places for play. • To minimise stress, staff have access to private respite areas, daylight/views, exercise areas, courtyards and rooftop gardens. • To encourage greater collaboration, office space is deliberately collegiate rather than heavily divided into specialty units. Public and Cultural Benefits • PCH replaces a century-old hospital with a world-class facility that places patients and carers at its heart. • An illuminated façade and artwork entitled ‘The Fizz’ identifies the hospital and creates a visual wonderland for everyone driving past. Sustainability Initiatives include: • thermal performance system on roof and tower facades; • large solar PV array; • solar HWS; • night purge of the atrium and HVAC system; • enhanced energy metering; • high-efficiency lighting; and • double-skin façade to the two towers controlling heat and glare - perforated motorised louvres track the path of the sun, closing as direct sunlight hits the glass.