AHDC Conference 2025 | Session 8: Canberra Hospital Expansion

Canberra Hospital Expansion – designed with the community for the community - Julian Ashton and Kate Evans The Canberra Hospital Expansion places community insight at the centre of healthcare design. The newly opened Critical Services Building—Building 5—was shaped by over 1,200 hours of consultation with patients, carers, staff and community members, influencing everything from spatial planning to coat hook placement. The result is a state-of-the-art facility that delivers emergency, ICU, cardiac and surgical services within a warm, human-centred environment. Features like family respite lounges, sunlit terraces and carer accommodations reflect a deep understanding of real user needs. Artworks by local and First Nations artists enrich the hospital with cultural meaning and connection to Country. This expansion shows how designing with the community leads to places of care, dignity and belonging. Copyright Australian Health Design Council www.aushdc.org.au / [email protected]