Westmead Millennium Institute / BVN

Architects: BVN
Location: Sydney NSW, Australia
Project Year: 2014
Photographs: John Gollings

Bvn Team: Julian Ashton – Project Principal, Bill Dowzer – Design Review Principal, Ian Goodbury – Project Director, John Jacka – Project Architect, Rose Jimenez – Architect – User group leader, Namaste Burrell – Site Architect, Andrew Metcalf – Design Review, Ali Bounds – Project Team, Frank Bruss – Project Team, Catherine Skinner – Project Team, Will Blake – Architect and BIM leader
Project Manager: Capital Insight
Builders: Abigroup and Cockram
Services Engineers: Arup
Structural Engineers: Taylor Thomson Whitting
Hydraulic Engineers: Steve Paul Partnership
Quantity Surveyors: WT Partnership

“The Westmead Millennium Institute brings together staff from six sites across the Westmead Hospital campus; facilitating a regrouping of divergent research groups within a singular place of calm engagement.

A strong sense of logic drives the ordering and thus expression of the building. It strikes an impressive presence along the Hawkesbury Road, almost formidable at the suburban edge of the campus. Despite the sense of calm resolution, it is a flexible and even unfinished building, which ensures its continued use and adaptation over many years as it shape and occupants may change.

Generous service zones integrate the huge array of engineering required now and into the future, and many of the spaces now set up as offices can become labs as the use expands.

From within, this logic brings clarity to a complex, multi-functional brief. Access to light and views of the outside are provided equally from within and through laboratories, offices and communal spaces. This transparency also facilitates a layered understanding of the building’s use, promoting interaction between researches and engaging visitor.

BVN’s well considered palette of materials and details underpins the enduring quality of this building, which offers a beguiling sense of wellbeing. A mix of natural materials, quality concrete and light – reflecting white surfaces create a focused working ambience. Generous proportioning elevates the mundane and quiet strength emerges through the skilful execution of many parts within the whole.

This is a project where every aspect has been considered. The sensitivity and deftness of this consideration has transformed the building’s logic into an uplifting and inspiring environment for collaboration and research.”