Melbourne design studio Buro North says the evidence based design approach to wayfinding and signage at the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne (RCH) puts it at the forefront of international healthcare design.

Buro North commissioned and collaborated with local illustrator Jane Reiseger on the development of illustrations for the wayfinding signage to create an environment where as patients move through different floors of the hospital their journey takes them from ‘underground’ at the lower ground levels through to ‘sky’ on the top floor.

Specific areas within each level are described in relation to an appropriate animal, for example, ‘Koala Ward’ exists on the ‘Tree Tops’ level.

Buro North developed the illustrations to create highly distinctive wayfinding graphics and over 5,000 signs, wall panels and essential landmarks for the large hospital site and introduced a playful and distinctive personality to the interior of the new Royal Children’s Hospital.

Importantly, the wayfinding solution was subjected to rigorous testing prior to building occupation.

The new wayfinding design solution provided a 45 per cent reduction in average journey times compared to the old system and the average number of users needing to ask for assistance to find their way was reduced from 78per cent in the old facility to under 10 per cent in the new RCH.

The building has been completed after four years by the Children’s Health partnership (CHP) consortium which comprises Lend Lease (LL), Spotless Group and Architects Billard Leece with Bates Smart (BLBS).

Architecture & Design Team

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