The Memorial Hospital – South Australia, Australia

Acrovyn by Design® from Construction Specialties, was the superior wall surface solution for the redevelopment of The Memorial Hospital in North Adelaide. The project consisted of a series of stages, including the fully refurbished Patient Ward Rooms, which established a new high standard of interior fit out across the site. Specified by our design partners Hodgkison, Acrovyn by Design® was chosen over the previous fast wearing fabric material, due to its design flexibility and impressive performance benefits.

The new look interior design was undertaken in close consultation with the hospital to create a welcoming environment supporting families and carers. The hospital’s General Manager, Janet Jongeneel, said they wanted practical patient rooms that didn’t look too clinical. “Traditional hospital rooms feel a bit cold, so we wanted to add some texture and depth in walling around the bed heads, which was achieved with the versatility of Acrovyn by Design® . The design of the refurbished ward rooms has been developed to meet the requirements of a clinical environmental set within a high-end hotel style accommodation for patients and their family.”

Many materials don’t always hold up to strict infection control standards of hospitals, such as those recommended by healthcare consultants HICMR. After 4 months, the original walling fabric had started to tear, rip and was falling apart with the edges starting to fray. So to achieve the same feel and result, but with hospital grade protection and longevity, the hospital conducted extensive testing of a range of materials to ensure the selections could be thoroughly cleaned in accordance with the requirements of the Hospital Infection Control policy without damaging the material.

Acrovyn By Design® was the final material of choice as it allowed the design team to customise the design appearance with the assurance the performance criteria would be satisfied. The unique wall pattern is a vector graphic that was multilayered to increase the perception of depth and colourised precisely to match the room colour selections. This flexibility enabled the team to carefully tune the design into the specific requirements and expectations of the clients.

Construction Specialties provided close support throughout design and construction; assisting Hodgkison, Mossop Construction + Interiors and Kolen Carpentry with the installation of 80 bed heads in the hospital. The successful outcome was a product of that team spirit and follow-through with the final walling of Acrovyn By Design® giving a pleasing interior feel for patient and staff

Project Acknowledgements

• Architect: Hodgkison
• Installer: Kolen Carpentry
• Contractor: Mossop Construction + Interiors
• Photographer: John Kruger Photography