The new Footscray Hospital represents a transformative investment in healthcare for Melbourne’s rapidly growing western suburbs. Designed by COX Architecture and Billard Leece Partnership and delivered by Multiplex Australia for the Plenary Health consortium, the more than $1.5 billion development reimagines the contemporary hospital as a connected community asset that brings together healthcare, education and research within a single integrated precinct.
Comprising five interconnected buildings arranged around a central green space, the project moves beyond traditional healthcare design to create an environment focused on wellbeing, comfort and human connection. Once operational, the hospital will provide approximately 500 inpatient beds and significantly increase healthcare capacity for the region, supporting an additional 15,000 patients and up to 20,000 more emergency presentations each year.
Creating this new generation of healthcare facility required building systems capable of meeting stringent technical requirements across a highly complex and large-scale construction programme. Acoustic performance, fire compliance, impact resistance and long-term durability were critical considerations throughout the project, while materials also needed to support the architectural vision and withstand the demands of a busy healthcare environment.
The scale of the development introduced additional complexity. Multiple work fronts were active simultaneously, requiring close coordination between architects, builders, contractors and suppliers to ensure consistent performance outcomes and efficient project delivery. In high-traffic areas and specialist clinical environments, wall systems needed to provide enhanced resilience while maintaining the quality and longevity expected of a major public healthcare facility.
To support these requirements, proven building systems were selected that could deliver reliable performance across a wide range of applications. Cemintel® Wallboard formed part of the project’s integrated walling solution, providing a durable fibre cement substrate suited to the rigorous demands of healthcare construction.
With extensive experience in complex institutional projects, the broader project team worked collaboratively to address technical challenges as they arose, drawing on tested systems and specialist expertise throughout the design and construction process. This collaborative approach helped streamline specification decisions while ensuring the selected materials met both functional and performance requirements.
The result is a healthcare facility designed not only to meet the needs of today, but to support generations of future growth. Through its contribution to robust and reliable wall systems, Cemintel helped support the delivery of an environment where durability, safety and performance work together to create a better experience for patients, staff and visitors.
The new Footscray Hospital stands as a benchmark for contemporary healthcare design, demonstrating the value of integrated project partnerships and high-performance building solutions in delivering complex civic infrastructure. By combining architectural ambition with proven construction systems, the project creates a resilient and enduring healthcare destination for Melbourne’s west.
“For us, the flexibility of choice is what stands out. We have that one-stop shop we can refer to for detailed and customised advice.”
Costa Papadopoulos, Associate, COX Architecture
Project Team
Project: New Footscray Hospital
Location: Footscray, Victoria
Architects: COX Architecture + Billard Leece Partnership
Builder: Multiplex Australia
Client: Plenary Health Consortium in partnership with the Victorian Health Building Authority and Western Health
Contractors: Signal & Hobbs, Expoconti, Watertite
Photography: Peter Bennetts
Cemintel Solution
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