Woodhead developed an initial masterplan study of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in North Western Adelaide to identify the preferred option for the redevelopment of the1950’s hospital site. The result was a new build option, with the retention of some existing facilities, which allowed the construction of a new three storey hospital containing all functional patient care requirements in a tight, efficient and totally modern facility.
Woodhead designed the new Queen Elizabeth hospital centred on the philosophy of ‘healing environments’ and ‘healing gardens’. The hospital design is envisioned a hospital on a human scale, one that would facilitate interactions between the natural and built components. As a result each ground floor ward is designed to enjoy the accessible and open vistas of the hospital gardens without disturbing patient privacy.
The many and varied gardens play an integral part in the healing process, with private gardens being specifically designed to engender positive emotional responses in patients, their visitors and hospital staff.
The design achieves effective zoning of outpatients, diagnostic and treatment, inpatient and accommodation services, creating optimum levels of efficiency, long term flexibility, minimum operational cost and maximum patient focus.
