Metro South Oral Health

Fulton Trotter Architects were engaged by Metro South Hospital and Health Service to document the consolidation of their suburban oral health facilities into two centralised facilities, at Logan and Woolloongabba.

The larger facility at the ‘Gabba site involved the fitout of a single 2,700m² office floorplate which included 27 individual dental surgeries, a hospital grade sterilisation facility, and an extremely complex dedicated dental prosthetics lab for 26 specialist workstations. Reception, admin, office space, staff amenities, and central stores also had to be accommodated into the design.

The scheme was the result of intensive research, user consultation and concept testing with the client over several months to understand the unique clinical workflows for each specialist area and to meet those elegantly while still maintaining a focus on patient centred care. While the scheme was modest, given public funding, there were some delightful moments and it was a very tidy resolution to really complex service requirements. By way of example – we were able to develop a whole new method of handling clean and dirty instruments via the ‘pass through’ cabinets you can see along the corridors, which meant that patients were no longer interrupted by strangers during their session and reinforced the patient’s priority and dignity.

Feedback from all involved has been excellent.