ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN
through this rich and rewarding co-design process. Across Australia there is currently a
range of inequalities that exist between Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander and non-Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Australians. In Queensland, the life expectancy gap is currently estimated at 7.8 years for males, and 6.7 years for females. Data suggest that Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders experience higher rates of psychological distress, mental illness, assault, and suicide than other Queenslanders. The Queensland Government has
Careful use of materials, colours, finishes, textures, planting, and integrated artwork drawing inspiration from the local environment create meaningful Connections to Country.
and expand the Ipswich Hospital campus, setting the standard for future stages. The project also supports a nationwide commitment to improve mental healthcare across Australia. The ‘ideal site’ for this type of facility
could be a large, open, flat, greenfield site surrounded by nature; however, the site for this project had none of those qualities. Rather, the brownfield site was positioned on a slope between the large ageing hospital campus and quiet residential streets. The developable site footprint was considerably less than the briefed area for the new facility, necessitating a multi-level building typology.
Project vision The vision was clear from the outset: design a place to support a recovery- focused model of care. As an integral component of the design process, key stakeholders were consulted to ensure that priorities were aligned between the design team and the health team who would be delivering the care. The facility needed to be welcoming, accessible, and inclusive for all people and all cultures. It needed to feel calm, warm, and homely, while being safe rather than secure. The interior called for robust finishes with a soft appearance that would be both durable and tactile. As a workplace, it needed to inspire; a place to nurture wellbeing and bring dignity to all people.
Ahead of commencing the design
phase, a group of key stakeholders embarked on a study tour of benchmark mental health facilities across Australia. The users returned enlightened and able to articulate clear ideas about best practices for both the model of care and the qualities required from a built environment to support the model. They also gained a true appreciation of the project’s potential to implement change and create an
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The brownfield site for the new facility was positioned on a slope between the large ageing hospital campus and quiet residential streets.
environment for achieving their vision. The design process involved over 100
separate stakeholder group engagements. Project user groups comprised of passionate, informed participants who included service-users, carers, clinicians, therapists, and representatives, from the operations and infrastructure teams. The design team also engaged many times with numerous Community Groups, including First Nations Groups, Consumer and Carer Focus Groups, and Local Residents’ Groups. This extensive and quality engagement
allowed the project team to deeply understand the range of issues and aspirations, and to prioritise design decisions around how the building could be shaped to support the best care. The design was born, tested, and refined
committed to closing the gap and achieving equality in health status and life expectancy between Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Australians by the year 2030.1 There are commitments to achieve health equity, actively eliminate racial and institutional discrimination, and influence the social, cultural, and economic determinants of health by working with Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander organisations, health services, communities, consumers, and Traditional Owners. The project team embraced the opportunity to engage with local First Nations community representatives through a series of workshops held during the design process. Through these engagements the design team learned the importance of creating a culturally safe and inviting place, and ways in which to create an environment that is connected to both the local Country and the local community.
Genuine consultation and real dialogue Genuine consultation and rich dialogue helped establish meaningful connections with the community, and generated a
A welcoming arrival experience that feels safe and dignified. NOVEMBER 2024 | THE NETWORK
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