Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC)

The VCCC is both a building and an idea – an expression of hope and progress. Its vision is to save lives, improve survival rates, and concentrate all efforts on finding a cure for cancer. It brings together specialist cancer research, education and patient care in an extraordinary new facility, completed in 2016 – a landmark in healthcare worldwide.

Located in the heart of Melbourne’s research and biomedical precinct (the northeastern suburb of Parkville), the VCCC combines the new home of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, research and clinical facilities for Melbourne Health, and research and education facilities for the University of Melbourne.

Awards

2017 Victorian Architecture Medal, Australian Institute of Architects
2017 William Wardell Award for Public Architecture, Australian Institute of Architects (AIA)
2017 Gold Award, Architecture (Commercial, Constructed), GOV Design Awards
2017 National Infrastructure Award for Government Partnership Excellence, Infrastructure Partnerships Australia Awards
2016 Gold Award, Interior Design (Hospitality), GOV Design Awards
2016 Gold Award, Architecture (Constructed), GOV Design Awards
2013 Best Healthcare Project, World Finance Magazine Infrastructure Investment Awards

Location: Wurundjeri Country
Melbourne, Victoria
Client: Victorian Department of Health, Plenary Health, and Grocon PCL joint venture
Value: $1.1B
Scale: 130,000m²
Year: 2016
Collaborators: Silver Thomas Hanley and McBride Charles Ryan (STHDI+MCR)
Project Contact: Christon Smith
Photography: Peter Bennetts
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This Centre translates hope into architecture. Bringing together patients, researchers and students in the one collaborative facility, concentrates all efforts on finding a cure for cancer.
Christon Smith
Director, DesignInc Melbourne

The design team was a joint venture between DesignInc and Silver Thomas Hanley plus McBride Charles Ryan (STHDI+MCR), as part of the Plenary Health Consortium for the Victorian Government.

The architecture symbolically represents the formation of new networks and clusters of collaboration. The facade’s spiralling gesture unites the disparate activities of inpatient care, clinical day care, research laboratories, education and the public realm, into a single continuous form.

Over 13 levels, the 130,000 square metre Centre accommodates thousands of researchers, patients and students, and family support facilities. Capacity for future expansion has been integrated in the master plan.

Designed for wellbeing, with a light-filled central atrium at its core, clinical rooms are on the lower levels to simplify the patients’ journey. On Level 7, one of Australia’s largest public roof gardens is a sanctuary for patients and family. The research laboratories above enjoy outlooks to the city and beyond.

Key innovations

Perforated metalwork, precast concrete panels, glazed brickwork, and digitally fabricated FRP colonnades are the result of engagement with the fabrication industries to produce elements directly from 3D digital files of a scale and complexity never previously achieved
Glass panelling specially developed for VCCC to transmit no spectral colour to the interior (important for assessing and treating symptoms)
Material selection for 25 year low maintenance and highest IEQ rating
Low energy interior fittings and solutions throughout

An experienced team of exceptional communicators, DesignInc intuitively understood the project and client, and brought innovative alternatives to the table.
Liz Stickland
Department of Health (Design, Build and Commissioning Lead)