Victoria
Located at the Simpson Barracks in Watsonia in north eastern Melbourne, the Simpson Health Centre (SHC) is part of the first phase of the Australian Defence Force Joint Health Command Program and provides health care for ADF members within the Barracks and in the outer Eastern Melbourne area.
To create a restorative environment the building design is understated, with a palette of muted and earthy tones that reflect the local environment. Simple textures and repetitive building elements articulate the building mass with shadow and relief, creating a façade with a sense of depth and dynamism.
The SHC is intuitive and welcoming, with continuous access to natural light and external landscaped relief areas. Waiting areas and courtyard spaces are private places where staff and patients can relax and convalesce, whilst treatment spaces are designed to be flexible and multi-purpose and aim to reduce the stigma surrounding access to mental health
services.
The ambition of the Joint Health Command Garrison Facilities Upgrade project is to update and rationalise the provision of health services to Australian Defence Force members on all bases across Australia. The principles of efficiency, flexibility and robustness are fundamental to the brief, calling for varied facilities of a common prototype that are readily expandable to cater to potential changes in future service demand.
Simpson Health Centre forms one of a series of health centres delivered and Jacobs design strategy has been proven to artistically and efficiently answer the brief while elegantly accommodating the varying site conditions across the portfolio.
Andrew Lonie, Design Manager
Ashley Fraser, Lead Documentor
Ben Smart, Design Health Lead
Huai Lim, Project Controls
Julian Scanlan, Design Director
Julianne Nee, Project Architect
Maria Panettieri, Interior Design Lead
Stan Karaoutsadis, Project Director
Aurecon Group, Project Manager
B.E.S Consultants Pty Ltd, Civil Consultant
Destravis Group, Health Planner
Jacobs Group (Australia) Pty Ltd, ESD Consultant
Jacobs Group (Australia) Pty Ltd, Quantity Surveyor
Jacobs Group (Australia) Pty Ltd, Security
Jacobs Group (Australia) Pty Ltd, Services Consultant
Jacobs Group (Australia) Pty Ltd, Structural Engineer
McKenzie Group Consulting, Building Surveyor
Millar Merrigan, Landscape Consultant and Health Planner
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.
