Join us for our next webinar exploring innovative approaches to creating culturally safe, sensorily supportive, and therapeutically rich healthcare environments. Drawing from real-world practice and research, our speakers will challenge traditional methods and explore how changing communities and emerging needs are reshaping design responses—particularly in mental health settings.

The session will delve into key design strategies for enhancing therapeutic outcomes, including the integration of biophilic design—a nature-based approach shown to support patient recovery, improve staff well-being, and create calming, healing environments. We’ll unpack evidence-based benefits and practical steps for applying biophilic principles in both clinical and community contexts.

Additionally, we’ll spotlight the growing role of communal gardens in healthcare settings. These spaces foster joy, connection, and therapeutic engagement while offering broader social value. Discussion will include successful management frameworks and design considerations to ensure they are safe, inclusive, and sustainable.

Whether you're a designer, health professional, or facility planner, this session will offer valuable insights into how we can move beyond “nice to have” and embed therapeutic design as a core element of healthcare infrastructure.

Online access is for members-only. Members and non-members located in Tasmania are invited to attend the AIA studio located in Hobart to watch the webinar live and connect with fellow local health design professionals. This opportunity is brought to our health design professionals located in Tasmania exclusively, as part of the Health Architecture and Design Network (HADN), in partnership with the Australian Institute of Architected (AIA) and NH Architecture. Thank you AIA and NH Architecture for your valuable support for this event.

Speakers

Sanaz Memari, Sessional Academic, Western Sydney University & Macquarie University	Paula Wright, Researcher, Social Scientist and Managing Partner, Cultivation consultants	Jo Caughtry, Registered Nurse and Creative Director, Sea of Ideas Design Studio

Continuing Professional Development

This event provides opportunities for CPD points for Architects, Project Managers and Engineers. For more information go to www.aushdc.org.au/cpd. Relevant NSCA Units for this event (Architects Only):

• PC1 Comply with the regulatory requirements and obligations pertaining to practice as an architect, including legislation, professional codes of conduct, obligations for continuing professional development and professional indemnity insurance.
• PC03 Apply principles of project planning, considering implications for Country, environmental sustainability, communities, stakeholders and project costs.
• PC17 Have an understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ aspirations to care for Country and how these inform architectural design.
• PC28 Have an understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ aspirations to care for Country and how these inform architectural design.
• PC29 Be able to develop and evaluate design options in terms of the heritage, cultural and community values embodied in the site, and in relation to project requirements.
• PC30 Be able to explore options for siting a project, including integrating information and analysis of relevant cultural, social and economic factors.

Kick off the conference with an exclusive site visit to a newly completed building, or for a city walk through Adelaide's Biomed City. Site visits are only available to AHDC members, max one visit per member. Please note time of each event as some sessions are overlapping. 

Registration is open to all AHDC members. A maximum of 1 event per person is allowed. Please note the time for each site visit. If you can not longer attend, please inform us promptly to ensure that your ticket can be allocated to someone else.

Please note that AHDC2025 Conference tickets are sold separately, visit www.aushdc.org.au/conference for more information.

Site Visit A: Flinders University Health and Medical Research Building

Morning (Time to be confirmed) | $50 | Bus transfer included

The Flinders University Health and Medical Research Building (HMRB), designed by Architectus and built by Hansen Yuncken, is a 10-storey, 22,000 m² facility anchoring the Flinders Village precinct. Opened in 2024, it houses over 600 researchers with state-of-the-art wet and dry labs, collaborative workspaces, seminar rooms, and public amenities. The design reflects Kaurna cultural heritage and prioritises sustainability, targeting WELL Gold, LEED Gold, and 5 Star Green Star ratings. The HMRB has also achieved the world’s first Platinum WiredScore for a health facility. Located alongside Flinders Medical Centre and a transport hub, it fosters integration across research, healthcare, and community.

Site Visit B: Adelaide Biomed City Walk

14:30 - 16:30 | Free | Walking tour, meet in city centre

Adelaide BioMed City is a world-class health, research, and education precinct on North Terrace, integrating clinical care, innovation and learning. It brings together the Royal Adelaide Hospital, the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), the University of Adelaide’s Health and Medical Sciences Building, and UniSA’s Bradley Building. SAHMRI hosts around 700 researchers across cutting-edge wet and dry labs. The Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences Building spans 14 floors, with clinical trials facilities, simulation suites, and the Adelaide Dental Hospital. The Bradley Building supports teaching, simulation, and public engagement. Together, these institutions drive collaboration from discovery to care.

Site Visit C: The Queen Elizabeth Hospital

14:30 - 17:30 | $50 | Bus transfer included

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (TQEH) redevelopment, completed in July 2024, delivers a major upgrade to healthcare in Adelaide’s western suburbs. The $314 million Kangkanthi Clinical Services Building—named after the Kaurna word meaning "to care"—adds a five-level facility to expand TQEH’s capacity to 415 beds. Designed by Cheesman Architects with BCA Engineers, Bestec, Aurecon and Rider Levett Bucknall, and delivered by Built Environs, the building houses a new Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit, Medical Imaging, Operating Theatres, and rehabilitation inpatient units. The project enhances high-acuity care, supports patient recovery, and reflects a strong cultural connection through its Kaurna naming.

AHDC Connect is a free pre-conference event designed to foster collaboration between researchers, designers, consultants and healthcare professionals. It features two parts: a lunchtime presentation session and an interactive research workshop, offering opportunities to share ideas and spark new partnerships in healthcare design research. 

Presented in collaboration with Adelaide University and AHDC Research Sub-committee.

Presentation Lunch (12:30 – 14:00): 

Invited speakers from research centres, architectural practices, and health services will share insights into current projects, highlighting practice–research partnerships and collaborative potential. 

Please arrive at 12.15 for a 12:30 start. Light lunch provided. Speakers to be announced soon. 

Research Workshop (14:00 – 15:30): 

A facilitated session encouraging interdisciplinary exchange and the development of new research ideas. Participants will reflect on shared challenges and explore opportunities for future collaboration. 

Registration: 

Tickets are free, but registration is essential for each session. Please cancel your registration if you can no longer attend. 

Ticket Types:

• Full Event: this includes the Presentations, Lunch, and Workshop. 
• Lunch only: this includes Presentations and Lunch only. Attendees can head out to afternoon site visits at 14:00. (Separate tickets required)
• Online: this includes a dial-in link for those who can’t attend in person. This will include a facilitated online version of the workshop. 

Event Hosts:

This event is generously hosted by Adelaide University. The Bradley Forum is a dynamic event space located on North Terrace in the Biomed Precinct and in the heart of Adelaide City. AHDC thanks the UniSA Creative team who have help to create this event. 

You are invited to register for the 2025 Australian Health Design Conference. This year we will be heading to Adelaide for a 2-day conference in October. You can find out more on our conference website:

Ticket Types and Conditions

Public and AHDC Member tickets are available at discounted early bird prices for a limited time only. All prices are inclusive of GST.

	Standard	Early Bird
Public	$1,600	$1,320
Member	$1,360	$1,200
Concession*	$1,200
One Day Ticket	$960

*Full time students can email events@aushdc.org.au with details of their enrolment for approval of student rates. 

Please note that Early Bird Tickets are no longer available.

Speakers and panelists will receive a complimentary one-day ticket, or upgrade to a full conference ticket for $960. A registration code is provided in your speaker confirmation and brief.

Site Visits

Tickets for site visits must be purchased separately. You must be a current AHDC member to attend a site visit. Find out more and register.

How to Register

Payment via credit card or debit card is required to secure your ticket. If you are an AHDC member; please login using your email and password before registering. See Member FAQ page. Please email support@aushdc.org.au if you have any issues with registration. 

Partnerships and Bulk Bookings

Becoming an AHDC Foundation Partner includes opportunities to purchase bulk conference tickets and memberships for your team. To find out more, please review our Partnership Invitation.

If your company is a Foundation Partner, please contact your sponsorship manager to organise tickets. Foundation partners receive limited complimentary conference tickets and other discounts. 

For bulk bookings, please contact support@aushdc.org.au with a list of names, emails and company details for invoicing and ticketing purposes.

Cancellation Policy

• More than 30 days - full refund processed.
• Less than 30 days - account credit only.
• Substitutions - free at any time.

To cancel, please sign into your AHDC account and navigate to your profile. Go to "Event Registrations" to submit a cancellation. Last minute cancellations will receive an account credit only. This can be used to pay for annual membership and future events and conference tickets.

Substitutions

If you can not longer attend for any reason, we encourage you to nominate someone else to participate in your place. Substitutions will be processed on the day at event registration, please bring a digital copy of the original ticket confirmation.

Other Conditions

• The preliminary program is preliminary and subject to change.
• Conference tickets cannot be shared with non-delegates or sold by third parties.
• Recording, videotaping or live steaming of the AHDC Conference is strictly prohibited.
• Photographer and videographers will be present at the event. If you do not wish to be filmed, please let them know on arrival.