Congratulations to project Architects Clarke Hopkins Clarke and Head Contractor Hansen Yuncken on their awards for the Bendigo Kangan Institute Health and Community Centre of Excellence. Clarke Hopkins Clarke were awarded winner of the Education category in the international 2018 Shaw Contract Design Awards and Hansen Yuncken were awarded the Victorian Master Builders Regional Builder of the year as well as Best Regional Commercial Project over $6 million.

Bendigo Kangan Institute’s City Campus underwent a significant transformation, with the reconfiguration and refurbishment of an existing building into a state-of-the-art Health and Community Centre of Excellence.

The new Centre of Excellence boasts a purpose built, technology-rich learning environment for the training of nursing and community services students, with large open classrooms, flexible study areas and simulation labs that realistically replicate hospital wards, including; acute and subacute wards with ensuites, clean and dirty utilities, aged care wards, pathology wings, early childhood centres and a simulation live-in house.

The facility was designed and constructed with best practice green star initiatives in mind, with all rooms built with high acoustic ratings, energy efficient heating and cooling and the use of sustainably sourced timber and steel.

The project’s biggest challenge was program and the team of Hansen Yuncken, CHC, BKI and SEMZ collaboratively worked together to ensure the project was completed in time for the 2018 teaching year, whilst maintaining a high level of finishes. Both these awards are well deserved and are a reflection of a great project environment.