State-of-the-Art Centre to Benefit Youth Cancer Patients announced at Queensland’s Largest Hospital
Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital’s Sony You Can Centre designed by Conrad Gargett
Conrad Gargett, a firm with a dedication to designing healthcare environments, is privileged to be designing Queensland’s first state-of-the-art purpose-built Sony You Can Centre, in a collaboration between Sony Foundation and Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.
Sony Foundation established ‘You Can’ in 2010, a program to fund and deliver initiatives including specialised youth cancer centres throughout Australia, cancer research and support services. The program is committed to ensuring that young cancer patients are treated in age appropriate environments.
The dedicated Sony You Can Centres provide social hubs where adolescents and young adults (15 – 25 years of age) who are undertaking cancer treatment can retreat in age appropriate relaxation spaces with the latest technology. These spaces are anticipated to improve their overall experience from treatment to survivorship.
Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital’s Sony You Can Centre will be a non-institutional care facility constructed adjacent to cancer clinical areas for young people. The amenity will provide a retreat and a peer social hub space in a relaxed atmosphere surrounded by views into the green heart of the hospital.
The design focuses on an identity of the patients’ hope by facilitating life of mutual peer support in a setting of fresh air, natural light, the outdoors and nature. The building will be sensitively positioned on the roof top of an existing Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital building in a manner which extends the building naturally but without the clinical feel.
Conrad Gargett’s project design team was pleased to attend the formal announcement of Brisbane’ Sony You Can Centre which was officiated by Giaan Rooney and Laura Geitz. Funding includes contributions of $1.8 million from the Sony Foundation and $500,000 from the Queensland Government for the construction and fit-out costs, as well as a contribution of over $400,000 from Metro North Hospital and Health Service for design and project management costs. The centre will open in 2019.
Image credit: Sony Foundation