Architecture + Interiors
”We wanted to make patients feel at home, to be welcomed. What better way to do that than with a cafe where they can sit and relax
Andrew TalbotBecome.
CDH Property One Pty Ltd
Under Construction
Camden Surgical Hospital
The healing power of a good cuppa
When we were commissioned to design a new private surgical hospital in Sydney’s South West, we set out to create a welcoming environment to humanise the experience for patients, families and carers.
Entering any kind of health or medical facility can be daunting for many patients. This can be because entrances and reception areas are imposing and, sometimes, even formidable. To disarm any feelings of anxiousness or anticipation, people enter the Camden Surgical Hospital through a relaxed cafe and lounge. Using natural, domestic materials, rather than traditional health industry finishes, and generous indoor plants, it creates a welcoming, human space.
Rather than dropping patients off and leaving, family and carers are encouraged to stay, eat, have a coffee and work whilst their loved ones are cared for. There are a series of both communal and private spaces, including child friendly play areas. The coffee shop also has a kiosk which opens out to the local community, breaking down the boundaries that usually exist between health institutions and their surrounding area.
Beyond the reception, the entire building has a welcoming feel with abundant light permeating all spaces including the clinical areas.
The contemporary architectural design of the building is sympathetic to the key physical attributes of views, sunlight and falls of the site. We incorporated the healing journey that patients travel on within the hospital in the northern façade, which has been symbolised through increasing the percentage of glazing from the NE to NW corner.
