Royal Children’s Hospital

Cor Wagenaar, Noor Mens

Description

Nature is the overriding theme in the design of Royal Children’s Hospital. It replaced an existing facility adjacent to it. The old building, a factory-like, clinical structure that did little to make children feel at ease, represented all the characteristics the designers wanted to avoid; after its demolition, the site became part of Royal Park. Aiming at an integrated park-hospital system, Ron Billard, author of the masterplan, conceived the building as intimately linked to this green oasis. The design philosophy reflects some of the major principles of evidence-based design, notably the view that nature has well-documented beneficial effects on health (ranging from lower heart rates to a higher sense of well-being). These effects supposedly date back to prehistoric times, when our ancestors preferred places that offered a view onto their surroundings, such as the savannah, the first landscape inhabited by human beings: open fields sparsely dotted with groups of trees. Plants signaled the availability of food, allegedly the reason they still generate positive feelings. What developed in ancient times as essential for the preservation of the species was never completely lost and still guides our fundamental reactions. Royal Park has been designed in a way that resembles this type of open landscape. The wings of the hospital invade the park, which in turn penetrates the building. Five strategies were defined to enhance the green qualities within the building, some of them using sophisticated technology to mimic nature. The first technique involves the provision of images of nature rather than nature itself; it comprises artificial nature as well as formal references to natural phenomena. These include soundscapes (broadcasting the sound of falling water or the singing of birds), family seating in the form of coral branches and a cylindrical aquarium more than 7 m high, that also acts as a landmark in the wayfinding system. Passive interaction, the second strategy, is made possible by the visual connections provided from the windows (enhanced by designing the top of the window frames as mirrors that allow children who cannot leave their beds to see the park outdoors), viewing platforms and the introduction of plants and greenery from the park inside the building. Nature can also promote social interaction, inviting people to share the sensation of enjoying natural scenes in each other’s company – the third objective. The fourth strategy incites children as well as their company to engage in physical exercise. This calls for the design of circuits and trajectories that are appealing; soundscapes are used to highlight the experience of walking around. Finally, direct contact with nature is fostered by the overall layout of the hospital, which gives access to the park via a landscaped playground. The emphasis on natural features in architecture is promoted by the Green Building Council of Australia, which issues so-called ‘green star’ tools that strive to minimize the impact of construction on the environment. In the realm of healthcare the use of greenery can increase staff productivity and improve health recovery; moreover, the principles of ‘eco-design’ can result in substantially lower costs. 75 % of the roof, for instance, is used to harvest water, and the hospital has its own biomass plant.

The implantation of a large-scale structure like this in a park is no easy task. By making full use of a slope on one side of the plot, roads in the immediate vicinity of the complex could be avoided, allowing a connection between building and park on three levels. Core of the layout is a six-storied spine of 100 m that links the main entrance with a landscaped garden. A sky garden enlivens this central spine. Designed by Buro North, the signage system is partly based on landmarks, among them the aquarium and a sculpture by Alexander Knox, called ‘Creature’. Narrow footprints ensure that daylight pervades most parts of the building. The patient wards are closest to the park, allowing children to benefit from the natural surroundings. Although the hospital receives 240,000 patients each year, who are usually accompanied by their parents, the overall atmosphere is one of calm. References to eight types of Victorian landscapes can be found and the planting scheme results in an open scenery that corresponds to the park outside. There are 85 % single bedrooms, providing space for parents as well and thus embracing the philosophy of family-centered care. The side facing the city is marked by the use of sun protection shields that look like leaves in a great variety of natural colors.