Hassell has approached health and wellness differently in the newest healthcare facility in Western Australia. With innovation at the core of the architectural concept, the Murdoch Knowledge Health Precinct puts people first, creating a state-of-the-art intervention, a hub for activities and interconnected public spaces.
The Murdoch Knowledge Health Precinct, once completed, will generate a wellness community dedicated to treatment, mental health, education, aged care, and all aspects of enhancing livelihoods. In order to decrease traffic and lift the pressure on local primary hospitals, the project “will feature Western Australia’s first ‘Medi-Hotel’, designed to accommodate patients and their transition from treatment to recovery”. Equipped with medical imaging, pathology facilities, a GP super-clinic, and 60 patient rooms, the Medi-Hotel is a pioneering venture.
Designed to enhance fast recovery, the Murdoch Knowledge Health Precinct was led by Hassell, an international design practice with studios in Asia, Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. In fact, the firm was responsible for the architecture, interior design, and landscape master plan of the project.
Everything has been designed deliberately to complement each other. This will be more like a wellness community, where patients, staff, and locals will genuinely feel a positive difference by simply being there every day. -- Jeff Menkens, Hassell Principal
The master plan, in addition to the 8,000sqm of medical suites, will include a commercial office building designed for a variety of working types, and a hotel and residential apartment building with a section designed to NDIS Speciality Disability Accommodation standards. Moreover, the precinct puts in place a mental health building with over 40 single-patient rooms, over 175 aged care beds and extensive recreational facilities, as well as an adjacent café, bars, a restaurant, and a supermarket to create a local community.
Taking on various sustainability measures, the facility, created in collaboration with Fini Group master developer of the project, will incorporate energy-efficient systems, solar power, sustainable transport, and waste management. “Sustainability has also been at the forefront of the entire design process, with a whole-of-precinct approach to energy efficiency and environmental response”.