Plenary Health Constructs New Footscray Hospital

Plenary Health is partnering with Western Health and the Government of Victoria to construct a 1.6 million-gsf hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Designed by COX and Billard Leece Partnership, the world-class medical center will replace the existing Footscray Hospital, addressing increased regional demand and optimizing patient outcomes. The AUD 1.5 billion (USD 944 million) project comprises five buildings surrounding a central green space and will offer 500 inpatient beds, enabling an additional 15,000 patients to be treated each year. 

Acute care environments will encompass an emergency department, mental health services, and a drugs and alcohol treatment hub. In addition to outpatient facilities, the hospital will also accommodate cardiovascular and angiographic specialty practices, operating rooms, procedural and endoscopy venues, and recovery areas. Onsite clinical support spaces will include medical imaging suites, a central sterile services unit, and pathology and mortuary zones. 

Integrating human-centered design elements and supportive wayfinding, the new Footscray Hospital will feature patient amenities such as a gym, a pharmacy, and multiple cafés. The strategic scaling and massing of buildings will encourage sunlight penetration and enhance wind protection for outdoor areas. This nexus for healthcare innovation is anchored in close proximity to Victoria University, which will occupy 54,000 sf of research and education space in the development. 

Multiplex is the design-build contractor, with Stantec as building services engineer and 4D Workshop as structural engineer. The project team also includes ARUP, Honeywell, and Tract Consultants. Completion is anticipated in late 2025.