agIdeas No. 02 | Bates Smart

agIdeas is an annual International Design Week.  Each year agIdeas brings 40 internationally acclaimed creative people to Melbourne, those who have pushed the boundaries and excelled in their area of creativity.

To see a full list of the speakers and learn a bit more about agIdeas, head over to their website.

No. 2  | Jeff Copolov - Bates Smart [website]

Ok, it wasn't so much what this guy said as the project he was sharing.  Copolov talked about the design for The New Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne. The whole thing was inspired by nature and to get inspired, they went and sat in the park near by and took it all in - the colours, the forms, and the light.

The exterior of the building is covered in leaves.  They gradate from green to red - the red being the emergency and intensive care units. Each level has it's own mural and animal mascot making navigation intuitive and fun.  The building is designed so that the maximum amount of rooms can face north and let natural light flood in and 85% of these rooms are for single occupancy.


There's a 2 level high aquarium in the emergency department offering a place of tranquillity and calm in a naturally stressful environment, a meerkat enclosure, soft organically shaped furniture that acts as both a comfortable waiting space and children's play equipment, and amazing sculptures.

I love how this hospital will now be not only a place of healing, but also a place of comfort.  And how nature, the greatest source of healing, is allowed to seep in and embrace the sick. These are the type of buildings that are the future.