In expanding Western Private Hospital (formerly Stanlake Private Hospital), Higgins delivered a modern three-story extension, elevating the facility’s advanced capabilities. At the time of construction, this hospital was the sole private healthcare provider in Melbourne’s west. This project not only elevated patient care but also enriched educational opportunities for the next generation of healthcare professionals, reinforcing its role as an accredited teaching institution.

The expansion features a first-floor critical care unit with 16 beds, while the second level includes a range of specialised care units, such as an eight-bed coronary care unit, a six-bed intensive care unit, an eight-bed critical care unit, and an interventional catheter lab. The ground floor offers five medical consultation rooms, a pharmacy, labs, and advanced imaging facilities. A bridge connects this new section to the Marian Street facility across the road. To ensure a flawless integration, we created multiple deflection models for the bridge, optimising the design of each precast element for a visually smooth and refined finish.

As part of our scope, we also upgraded the existing hospital building, including enhanced radiology and oncology services, expanded surgical capacities, and new operating theatres. A notable feature is the façade’s sophisticated design, which blends aluminium screens with spotted gum timber.

Executing this project atop a functioning hospital posed significant challenges in maintaining access and egress, which demanded precise planning and flexible construction methods. Our team skilfully managed key elements, especially during the construction of the link bridge:

• Careful placement of 300 tonnes of precast concrete over the operating facility and high-traffic public zones
• Significant temporary engineering to enable the link bridge works to proceed with minimal disruption to operations
• Relocation of operating theatre services to facilitate the completion of the link bridge extension.
• The large cantilevered in situ concrete columns were crucial for supporting the link bridge above the existing structure. We re-engineered these components to achieve a buildable design and allow for swift assembly.

Despite facing multiple challenges, such as unforeseen latent conditions, subsequent revisions to documentation, and expanded project scope, we completed the project on time.