UNSW Sydney and Plenary to deliver Health Translation Hub

UNSW Sydney has contracted the Plenary Group-led Plenary Health consortium to deliver the $600 million Health Translation Hub – one of the marquee developments within the Randwick Health & Innovation Precinct.

The long-term partnership involves Plenary Health funding, developing and operating the 35,600-square-metre facility, supported by an initial 20-year commitment from UNSW to occupy 65% of the available space. The remaining space will be open to industry, providing a golden opportunity for like-minded partners to co-locate with the University and within the hospital precinct.

The project is being fully funded by Plenary Group and industry superannuation fund-backed property investor ISPT, together with HESTA and UniSuper, the health and education sector superannuation funds. Plenary – Australia’s leading investor, developer and manager of property and public infrastructure – is also development and asset manager for the project. Hansen Yuncken has been engaged as the design and construction partner and Architectus as lead architect.

An aspiration six decades in the making

Building on more than 60 years of teaching hospital affiliations, the Health Translation Hub realises the University’s long-term aspiration to work in close partnership with the NSW health institutions on the Randwick Health Campus.

The Health Translation Hub will bring together educational and medical researchers, clinicians, educators, industry partners and public health officials to drive excellence and support the rapid translation of innovative research and education into improved patient care and better community health outcomes.

An expansive 2500 square metres of north-facing open public space will help to create an engaging and welcoming place for staff, students, patients, industry partners and the public.

Artist’s impression of the new UNSW Plaza, with 2500 square metres of publicly accessible open space. Image: UNSW

The building will have direct connections to the Sydney Children’s Hospital Stage 1 and Minderoo Children’s Comprehensive Cancer Centre currently under construction and to UNSW’s Kensington campus. It will be situated adjacent to the new Prince of Wales Hospital Acute Services Building, enabling seamless integration with UNSW and the four hospitals at Randwick and putting the precinct at the forefront of international health research and education. The Health Translation Hub is a key outcome of the collaboration between the NSW Government and UNSW to strengthen the precinct and improve health outcomes for the community.

A boon for UNSW and the community

UNSW Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Attila Brungs said that the University and community will benefit from the long-term partnership with the Health Translation Hub and Plenary.

“No single organisation can solve the complex healthcare challenges facing our communities today. UNSW has a unique opportunity to co-locate with our Randwick Health Campus – an opportunity more than 60 years in the making,” Professor Brungs said.

“A state-of-the-art facility, the Health Translation Hub will physically connect UNSW to the hospitals and enable a seamless and integrated work, research and education environment. We will discover unmet clinical needs faster, connect real-world health issues more efficiently to our researchers and industry partners, and facilitate a hands-on learning opportunity for our students.

“Through our partnerships with government, industry and academia, we will revolutionise the way health care is delivered.”

Plenary Group CEO David Lamming said it was a professional privilege to be chosen to partner with UNSW following a competitive tender process on one of the premier projects of its kind in Australia.

“Plenary is delighted to be part of such an important project, one that merges our experience in life sciences projects and precinct development to help deliver brilliant health research and education outcomes,” Mr Lamming said.

“This is right on strategy for us. Our experience in the formation of long-term partnerships to deliver complex projects here and overseas, combined with the depth of experience that we have built in the health and life sciences space, make us ideally placed to deliver on UNSW’s vision of bringing people together to research, innovate and learn and have a true community impact.”

Construction is set to begin in 2023 and is expected to be completed in the second half of 2025.