new Shellharbour Hospital

With construction underway, the new Shellharbour Hospital is set to become a centre for community health and wellbeing. In collaboration with COX & Studio STH, Taylor Brammer’s design reflects the aspirations of the Illawarra Shoalhaven Health District and local community through the creation of a healing environment that celebrates Dharawal and Yuin Country and the site's long agricultural history. The Hospital landscape extends beyond contemporary medical services, offering the community a range of spaces and resources that strengthen connections, culture, and elevate health and well-being. 

From the Connection to Country workshops, the principle of Country as Healing was adopted. This idea led to the site being seen as a place of healing and a place to heal country. Strengthening the connection to Country through the retention of many of the sites intrinsic features was a critical acknowledgement that Country is greater than the sum of its parts

The retention of sightlines to the escarpment and foothills played a major role in the orientation of the built form. The potential to reinterpret existing site features was also explored. One of these was the ephemeral creeklines that emerge during rain events, draining to the estuarine creek at the base of the site. The stormwater design is to celebrate these creeklines and show the emergence of water across the site. Scallop-shaped raingardens intercept the water at several points on its journey, cleansing the runoff and providing a diversity of habitats, as well as water retention and infiltration across the site.

Project Team: Cox Architecture, Studio STH, Savills, Yerrabingin