Queensland
Darling Downs and West Moreton
Ipswich Hospital’s Acute Mental Health Unit builds on a foundation of healing to create an environment that nurtures wellbeing and mindfulness.
The interiors are integral to the holistic design concept, establishing a setting of calm, restoring dignity to the healing journey and normalising mental health care in the community.
Through the codesign process, Hassell collaborated with consumers, carers, clinicians, allied health professionals, operations staff and community groups to shape the healing environment.
Meaningful engagement with First Nations representatives has delivered a culturally safe environment with integrated landscapes, bush medicine, sunlit interiors, colours that reflect Country and artworks by local artists.
Award for Public Architecture
The GHM Addison Award for Interior Architecture
The Ipswich Hospital’s Acute Mental Health Inpatient Service raises the benchmark for health facilities, upholding a new model of mental health care through its holistic design. The facility fosters well-being through integrated interiors, architecture, and landscape to create a calm, dignified environment. Interiors feature generous spaces, a gentle colour palette, and curated artwork throughout, while clear axes connect spaces and frame views towards the surrounding urban landscape or orient inwardly towards verdant vertical planting in light-filled atriums. Patient well-being is further supported by a circadian lighting strategy. The design provides comfort in a calm setting, promoting recovery and normalising mental health care.
With the Ipswich Mental Health Unit Queensland Health has delivered a beautiful contemporary mental healthcare facility.
With features such as an abundance of natural light flowing through the building, internal green spaces that open to outside, tranquil sensory rooms, social connection spaces and more, this facility provides a soothing environment for healing and the fostering of healthier futures.
The building helps attract and retain quality staff with wellness areas designed for staff retreat and socialisation. The design establishes a warm and dignified setting for care while ensuring spaces feel connected to nature and the suburban surrounds.
The Australian Institute of Architects acknowledges First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands, waters, and skies of the continent now called Australia.
We express our gratitude to their Elders and Knowledge Holders whose wisdom, actions and knowledge have kept culture alive.
We recognise First Nations peoples as the first architects and builders. We appreciate their continuing work on Country from pre-invasion times to contemporary First Nations architects, and respect their rights to continue to care for Country.
