Designed by Billard Leece Partnership (BLP), the Children’s Hospital at Westmead in Western Sydney has opened the doors of its new Wattle Building.

Alongside the new Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick (Stage 1) and the Minderoo Children’s Comprehensive Cancer Centre, which opened at the end of 2025 and were also designed by BLP, the new building at Westmead is part of the largest investment in paediatric health in New South Wales in 25 years.

Part of a $659 million redevelopment program from the NSW Government, the newly opened Wattle Building forms the centrepiece in the wider Westmead health and education precinct. It expands much-needed paediatric services with new operating theatres and specialist radiology and cardiology labs, along with two dedicated floors of neonatal and paediatric intensive care units, expanded cancer services and a statewide burns unit.

Designed to feel less like a clinical healthcare institution and more like a restorative journey through intuitive, engaging spaces, the 14-storey building was developed in consultation with patients, families and staff. While it was important to streamline highly specialised healthcare services under one roof, it was equally vital that these spaces meet the emotional needs of children and families, as well as the hospital’s functional needs.

The building presents a holistic wellbeing environment, housing retail, arts, discovery and outdoor activation spaces as part of its therapeutic offer. One of the key design moves is the inclusion of KidsPark and KidsWay, a landscaped forecourt and entrance pathway that creates a new public-facing identity for the hospital as well as an outdoor play space. This breaks down the arrival experience and welcomes patients and visitors with nature and open space.

“The official opening of The Children’s Hospital at Westmead marks an important shift in how we think about healthcare design for children,” says Tara Veldman, principal and managing director at BLP. “This is not simply a new hospital building. It is part of a wider rethinking of paediatric environments in NSW, where design is understood as a critical contributor to wellbeing, dignity, family connection and quality of care.”

Drawing on the therapeutic nature of the local landscape, BLP’s design brings the outside in. Both the exterior and interior design concepts take their cue from the neighbouring river landscape, with the interior strategy inspired by the convergence of three waterways: the Parramatta River, Toongabbie Creek and Darling Mills Creek. The colourful façade design also features geometric patterns mimicking the reflections of the river’s surface.

“We considered from the outset how Westmead’s pedestrian pathways could enhance the sense of place and arrival,” says architecture design lead for BLP Ivan Turcinov. “The river narrative gave us a way to think spatially and atmospherically, integrating soft curving forms and colour into KidsPark and KidsWay.”

This storytelling and placemaking approach continues through to the interiors, where clinical functionality and emotional experiences are treated as co-dependent. Visual connections to the landscape outside, natural light and layered materials work together to create a calm, atmospheric space. Wayfinding, biophilic and inclusive design principles also enhance both patient and staff wellbeing, reducing stress and providing moments of delight without compromising patient care.

“Paediatric interior design carries a particular responsibility because children experience healthcare spaces so differently to adults,” says Rebecca Yeo, principal and interior design lead at BLP. “The aim was to create a place that feels open, calm and connected to childhood, while still performing at the level required of a major tertiary hospital.”

Following the hospital’s May opening, Minister for Health Ryan Park said, “The new building at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead brings together cutting-edge clinical services and thoughtfully designed spaces that prioritise the safety, comfort and wellbeing of young patients and their families.”

“Western Sydney is growing fast and the essential services need to grow with it,” added Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns. “This investment is part of rebuilding the health system for the future.”

Top image: The Wattle Building, Children’s Hospital at Westmead.

All photography Tom Roe.