Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital Redevelopment

• Sector

  Health

• Key Lyons contacts

  Hari Pliambas, Neil Appleton

• Collaborators

  Hansen Yuncken (builder)

• Client

  DHHS / VHBA + The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital

• Location

  32 Gisborne St, East Melbourne VIC 3002

• Traditional land

  Traditional lands of the Wurundjeri people

• Size

  22,000m²

• Project status

  Complete, 2024

Delivering a state-of-the-art facility in an operational hospital

Spanning 15 years, the duration of this project is unique and required expertise to manage and deliver successfully. We undertook complex planning, close collaboration, and continual iteration to allow the project to be delivered while the hospital remained operational. As Australia’s only eye, ear, nose and throat specialist hospital, Eye and Ear sees nearly 220,000 patients per year, including over 40,000 emergency attendances. Our programme focused on patient-flow design to support efficient movement between services across the campus.

The project includes the partial demolition of an existing building and the construction of five fully integrated and future-proofed floors, connecting the site’s two existing main towers. The upgrade consists of 8 new operating rooms, 14 recovery spaces, 37 same-day beds/chairs, 24 extra overnight beds and a new emergency department.

A holistic approach to wayfinding

A key focus of the redevelopment of The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital (RVEEH) is the improvement of navigation and connection between the hospital towers. Hospitals can already be large and complex places to navigate, and it was important to ensure a clear and holistic approach to wayfinding to ensure that navigation did not become more difficult. To avoid this, we implemented a clear master plan that considered the existing structures and how they integrate with the new and refurbished spaces. The strategy draws on VHBA guidelines for clarity, accessibility and universal design.

Our wayfinding strategy is driven by logical, rational, and clear solutions that look for opportunities for innovation in healthcare wayfinding. It is designed to provide visitors with a sense of control and understanding during the time they need it most; when stressed, anxious or in poor health. The wayfinding strategy considers the whole patient journey, starting from a consultation letter or website visit. It also supports patient-centred design, acknowledging stress and sensory needs. Some key aspects of the strategy include the use of signage that considers all types of impairment and using colour instead of words for signage where possible. Inclusive cues strengthen accessibility for people with low vision, hearing differences or cognitive load.

Across the hospital, spaces have been broken down into smaller more identifiable areas. The two main wings remain as a key external visual for the hospital. A new central heart to the hospital site is introduced with a five-story infill building between the wings, completing a U-shaped design that allows efficient connection between all buildings on the campus. The infill supports clinical space planning with direct links across floors. Patient clinical services have been consolidated on the lower three floors of the building for ease of access while training and research facilities are located on the upper levels. The main foyers have been designed to help with orientation, identification, and mapping. Wayfinding aids include screen technologies, Bluetooth activated information access points for web-based media content including GPS wayfinding information and audio messages for the visually impaired. This consolidation supports healthcare efficiency and clearer clinical adjacencies.

Improving the patient and family experience

Our design for The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital (RVEEH) takes a patient centred strategy that prioritises the patient in service provision. Throughout the design process we have focused on continually improving and innovating so that RVEEH can continue to pave the way in ophthalmology and ENT care and improve the patient and family experience. Spaces are shaped as healing environments to calm, orient and support wellbeing.

Due to the long duration of this project, we have been able to work closely with RVEEH to gain a deep understanding of patient care and the hospital’s systems. The 13-cubicle emergency department is designed to use advanced technology to support staff to deliver better care and comfort. This means that patients can access the urgent ophthalmology and ear, nose, and throat services that they need. Care settings enable medical-technology integration without clutter, improving safety and usability. Operating theatres have been moved up to level 2 where they have access to views of nature and natural light to improve patient wellbeing. The building is clad with a bright aluminium facade coloured with hues of green, grey, and blue to symbolise the green parklands and blue sky. The facade brings contrast without competing with the existing 1950s brickwork and uses a gradient to represent the merging of buildings. Positioning theatres for outlook reflects evidence-based design on stress reduction and recovery. The colour palette on the outside reflects the internal wayfinding colour code system, contributing to an easier journey for patients and families.