Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne

Client: LendLease
Year: 2011

In conjunction with Bovis Lend Lease and Bates Smart Architects Melbourne, PublicArt Works (with Rebecca Townsend) worked with Jade Oakley to produce her largest and most ambitious public artwork to date for the Royal Children’s Hospital main foyer and atrium.

Technically challenging, at nine and a half meters across by four meters high and comprising five mobile elements, the work is 50 times the size of the artist’s model and is fabricated from stainless steel and hand painted perforated aluminium. Sky Garden was installed in August 2011 and unveiled in October 2011 at the opening of the new hospital in the presence of Her Majesty the Queen.

Documenting the project for VIC Health, film maker Tim Brown said “the architecture is great but the art has truly transformed the space.  It’s fun now.” And so it should be, as a place designed to optimise children’s healing…underpinned by the nexus of  art, health and healing.

The Royal Children’s Hospital was awarded the most prestigious prize in the 2012 Australian Interior Design Awards — The Premier Award for Interior Design Excellence and Innovation.

Other awards for this project include:

  • International Interior Design award, Emirates Glass LEAF 2012
  • Use of Art in the Patient Environment – Highly Commended
  • Interior Architecture Commendation
  • Design + Health International Academy Awards 2012
  • International Health Project (over 40,000 sqm) – Winner
  • Interior Design – Winner
  • Sustainable Design – Winner
  • AIA Victorian Architecture Awards 2012
  • Victorian Architecture Medal Melbourne Prize
  • William Wardell Award for Public Architecture – New

PublicArt Works (in conjuntion with Rebecca Townsend) worked closely with Lend Lease to deliver a highly successful public art component to the new RCH.  Jade Oakley’s mobiles make a significant contribution to the beauty and unique nature of the Main Street space.  As public art project managers, ARTSCAPE facilitated the communication between the artist, architects, and Lend Lease, ensuring a smooth delivery process.”

David O’Shaughnessy, Project Director Royal Children’s Hospital, LEND LEASE

Read more about this project in Sarah Berry’s article.

Merran Morrison worked closely with Lend Lease to deliver a highly successful public art component to the new RCH. Jade Oakley’s mobiles make a significant contribution to the beauty and unique nature of the Main Street space. As a public art project manager her role eliminated the need for Lend Lease to deal directly with the artist. She facilitated the communication between the artist, architects, and Lend Lease, ensuring a smooth delivery process.

David O’Shaughnessy, Project Director Royal Children’s Hospital, Lend Lease