Peninsula University Hospital

The $1.1 billion Frankston Hospital Redevelopment delivers a contemporary, world-class healthcare precinct that repositions major health infrastructure as a connected, civic and restorative public realm.

Our team played a multidisciplinary role for the successful consortium, providing project positioning, strategic planning, urban design, landscape architecture and economics expertise. Through an integrated design approach, the redevelopment transforms the traditionally inward-facing hospital into a welcoming and publicly accessible destination that supports healing, movement and connection to both community and Country.

Delivered as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), the project includes:

• a new 12-storey clinical services tower and civic arrival experience,

• an additional 130 beds,

• expanded mental health and oncology facilities,

• state-of-the-art theatres,

• therapeutic landscapes,

• rooftop gardens,

• 40+ courtyards

• and new public realm.

Together, these outcomes increase the hospital’s capacity to treat approximately 35,000 additional patients annually while creating a greener, more human-centred health precinct.

The redevelopment is a major civic investment for Melbourne’s south-east and the Mornington Peninsula, delivered by the Victorian Health Building Authority in partnership with the Exemplar Health consortium, Peninsula Health, Lendlease, Capella Capital, Honeywell, and Bates Smart.

Located within one of Victoria’s fastest-growing regions, the project repositions healthcare infrastructure as an integrated part of the city that supports community life, movement and connection to place.

A central principle of the redevelopment is “Healing Country, Healing People”, developed in partnership with the Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation. This informed the public realm strategy through opportunities for cultural recognition, reflection and connection to Country embedded throughout the site. The landscape also contributes to a broader art and interpretation strategy that reflects the stories and living culture of Bunurong Country

A key focus of the project was creating an arrival experience that reflects the significance of the hospital as major public infrastructure. The main entrance features a sculptural verandah and civic plaza inspired by the coastal character of the peninsula, providing shade, shelter and gathering spaces while supporting intuitive movement and universal access.

Our landscape design responds to the site’s relationship with adjoining parklands and the coastal environment of the Mornington Peninsula. Endemic planting, natural materials and layered planting systems reinforce local identity while supporting urban greening, biodiversity and climate responsiveness. The integration of landscape with large-scale infrastructure softens the scale of the redevelopment and creates a more human-centred public realm.

The master plan links existing and new open spaces into a cohesive landscape network that supports movement, gathering and moments of respite. Through an integrated approach to landscape, architecture and infrastructure, the redevelopment demonstrates how major institutional projects can contribute positively to public life and urban renewal.

Main construction has now been completed, delivering a landmark civic precinct that demonstrates the role of landscape architecture in shaping resilient, connected and culturally meaningful public infrastructure. Following this milestone, Stage 2 is currently underway and is expected to be completed by December 2026.