Canberra Hospital, Critical Services Building
In a significant expansion, a new Critical Services Building at Canberra Hospital will increase the hospital’s overall capacity and better meet the needs of the growing region, including a new ICU, Emergency Department, and Coronary Care Unit. Larger rooms for patients will provide the space required for modern ICU equipment, and visitors will be able to enjoy two new cafes, a family lounge, and a children’s play area. Upon arrival, visitors and patients will be greeted by a visually stunning façade above the main entrance. More than a work of art, the façade also provides a sustainable method of reducing the need for excessive cooling during the warmer months.
ABS Façades contracted Ronstan Tensile Architecture for the development and structural design of the tensile mesh façade which suspends the 25,000 individual sequins that comprise the artwork, titled “Journey to Healing” by local First Nations artist Lynnice Church. The installation required a lightweight and structurally sound solution that would also allow for the precision placement of each sequin. The sequins, also supplied by Ronstan, are 120mm diameter in size and coloured with a durable powder-coated finish. To achieve the artist’s vision, Ronstan’s in-house design team developed a custom clip that securely connects each sequin to the Carl Stahl X-Tend® Mesh façade, which is tensioned and suspended by Ronstan ACS2 Structural Cables. The complete installation spans an impressive 24m wide and 6m high above the entranceway with additional side panels ranging from 3m-8m wide and 6m high.
The new Critical Services Building at Canberra Hospital is set to open in late August 2024.
All images: Hamish Brill, ABS Facade
