The South West Radiation Oncology Service is the first of its kind in the south west, bringing improved access to radiation treatment for the region’s growing population. For many cancer patients, this means they no longer had to travel to Perth for radiotherapy treatment. 

Funded jointly by the Commonwealth and State governments, the project was
required to be delivered within a strict funding period, with only 9 months
between the project being commissioned and the contract being awarded.

The new centre includes a clinic and consultation facilities; a CT scanner and 2 linear accelerators in radiation bunkers; a specialised workshop in which moulds used for positioning patients correctly during scanning and radiation treatment are designed and built; treatment rooms; dedicated patient reception and waiting rooms; and staff and support services areas.

This single storey building was a new addition to the Bunbury Hospital campus, with the human scale and materiality of the the campus reflected in our design concept. The requirement to incorporate two linear accelerators, which needed to be housed within thick concrete bunkers, introduced a level of technical complexity to the project.

Importantly, we designed the roof to ensure that they were seamlessly incorporated within the building form. Internal access to the bunkers via a maze arrangement avoided the need for large, thick vault-like doors that may have created a more intimidating experience for patients.

A clear wayfinding strategy ensured that visiting patients can focus on their treatment rather than figuring out where they need to go. Colour and interest define an uplifting interior designed to put patients at ease.

Upon commissioning, there was no operator identified for the project, so we commenced the design process by mirroring a similar facility in Perth. However, important decisions such as what brand of linear accelerator would be required could not be answered until the operator was on board, which meant we needed to design to accommodate a variety of scenarios.

When the operator did come on board after construction had already commenced, a significant redesign was required, in particular to support areas such as the specialised workshop. This necessitated ongoing design work to be undertaken in parallel with the continutation of the construction process. We worked closely with the contractor to sequence the works to enable the original delivery timeline to be maintained.

Our effective stakeholder engagement process, ability to build strong client relationships, collaborative approach and agility ensured that this project was delivered within the prescribed timeframe. The centre has gone on to reduce travel times for many cancer patients located in the south west with a 2017 study revealing that this improved accessibility influenced many cancer patients’ decision to go ahead with treatment. 1

1. Source: Improving cancer treatment options for rural residents: Exploring the role of a regional radiotherapy centre in Western Australia