Rice Daubney has completed the design for the $230 million Chris O’Brien Lifehouse development at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney, the fully integrated cancer centre a first for Australia’s health sector.

The project will be completed in 2013 and is the vision of the late Professor Chris O’Brien, an internationally recognised surgeon and oncologist who headed up the Sydney Cancer Centre at RPA.

“The facility embodies the spirit of Chris’s legacy which is the major differentiator for Lifehouse, and the driving force for the conceptual and detailed design of the facility,” said Ronald Hicks, Principal and Head of Health + Research at Rice Daubney.

The new 9 storey, 43,500 square metre facility is set within a heritage site and will be fully integrated into the existing infrastructure and Radiation Oncology Centre at RPA representing a unique incorporation of private services onto a public tertiary campus.

Lifehouse will be a patient centred, integrated facility providing broad clinical service including ambulatory care, intervention, treatment and in-patient accommodation.

The centre is designed to provide completely integrated services that respond to patient’s needs. Patients will have access to all modes of treatment in the one centre, easing the burden of treatment and enabling shared medical record so their entire medical history is known to each doctor.

“It’s important to create a place that facilitates healing and feels safe and comfortable for all the patients who may, unfortunately spend extended periods there. The centre will also have research and education areas, aiding cancer solutions,” said Hicks.

Lifehouse will have two functional zones aligned along the east and west boundaries with a central zone featuring a full height atrium. Rice Daubney has created an inward facing sanctuary to create a safe comfortable place that doesn’t feel clinical; this central space is the spiritual heart of Lifehouse.

The central atrium incorporates a large artwork and functions to provide an insight into the operation of Lifehouse while facilitating coincidental interaction between researchers, clinicians and patients.

Ambulatory services are arranged over the open lower 3 levels with the interventional unit above. Integrated Medicine is easily accessible to all users on the entry level. Research and education facilities are located mid height with the inpatient facilities, including the Intensive Care Unit, enjoying the best outlook and rooftop healing gardens.

Diagnostic Imaging is located on lower ground of Lifehouse with natural light introduced into the clinical and administrative zones on this level through three recessed courtyards. The southern courtyard provides a major focal point within the planning of the open circulation areas on the lower floor levels.

“Lifehouse is about a holistic experience that focuses on the patient journey, many patients will have life-changing moments at the centre, so spaces need to be designed to accommodate these. We have combined maximum clinical efficiency without compromising softer spaces,” said Hicks.

Light is a powerful issue in the design as most cancer patients experience light sensitivity. The design plays with light to create a balance that incorporates as much natural light as possible to assist the healing process while using filter techniques to create a softer effect and ensure light is kept to a comfortable level for patients.

A core design challenge has been to provide an equal amount of privacy and interaction spaces for patients to provide them with the ability to maintain privacy or socialise, depending on how they feel about their treatments.

The design facilitates privacy by creating routes from the carpark direct to treatment rooms where they will barely have to interact with others. Conversely patients will be able to socialise in designated areas.

Emphasis on soft spaces such as circulation routes, waiting areas and private patient spaces assist with the holistic approach to healing. Patients have access to healing gardens and spectacular views from their rooms and all patient spaces are designed to maximise natural light.

Material selection

Material selection reflects the contemporary design and features natural products as key elements.

The designers drew on concepts from across the world including Europe and North America and appointed Stantec Architecture as international collaborators to ensure the design represents world’s best practice.

The facility uses tri-generation and achieves a 4 star Green Star ESD rating. Natural light has been maximised with thermal mass and reduced fenestration is used to eliminate the need for external sun-shading.

User group steer

In what the firm says is a unique design approach, they created two cancer patient user groups representing different age demographics, with an on-going role through the development of the design.

Lifehouse has provided a broad representation for the user group process with expert representation from existing departments within RPA, the University of Sydney and other Research Groups.

Rice Daubney has been shortlisted for the design of Lifehouse at the World Architectural Festival Awards (WAF) 2011 in the Future Projects Health category.

The winners will be announced in November at the 2011 World Architecture Festival in Barcelona.

Architecture & Design Team

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