Architecture, Interiors, Urban Design
The Translational Research Institute demonstrates how architecture can advance scientific collaboration and foster innovation in a building that is as much about people and place as it is about process.

Located within the Princess Alexandra Hospital campus in Brisbane, the Translational Research Institute (TRI) brings together four research institutes—universities, clinicians and industry under one roof.
The building supports collaboration, transparency and discovery while fitting seamlessly into the hospital’s compact setting.


Rising eight storeys on high ground, its terracotta-red and white façade references the campus while establishing a distinct identity. Recycled brick, terracotta tile and copper sheeting add warmth and texture, while a six-storey atrium anchors the plan. This light-filled space forms a communal hub, connecting laboratories, offices, teaching spaces and the broader research community.

Laboratory floors are arranged in a U-shape around the atrium to maximise daylight, encourage interaction and provide efficient access to vertical infrastructure. At ground level, a lively base houses reception, a café, a 300-seat auditorium and informal learning areas to spark exchange. Landscaped avenues and a public plaza integrate the building into the hospital precinct and open it to the community.



Credits
BVN
Collaborators
Wilson Architects + Donovan Hill
(Now BVN & Partners Hill)
John Thong, Michael Hartwich, Hamilton Wilson, Fuller November, Sophie Atherton, Melissa Dever, Sarah Russell, Sarah Neale, Tim Jukes, Simon Depczynski, Ash Every, Wei Jien, Lauren Wellington, David Evans, Charlotte Guymer, Alisha Renton, Jasper Brown, Michael Herse, Roland Fretwell, Beth Wilson, John Harrison, Kamil Kuciak, Ilka Salisbury, Hyun Kim, Daniel Tsang, Michael Bailey, Sarah Woodhouse, Andrew D'Occhio, Tomoyuki Takada, Peter Harding, Nick Lorenz, Dana Hutchinson, Phillip Lukin, Michael Hogg, Shaun Purcell, Rebecca Lee, Jessica Riske, Sally Tyrell, Brent Hardcastle, David McRae, Michael Ford, Briohny McKauge, Maddie Zahos, Santanu Starick, Neil Wilson
Consultants
Ask Acoustics & Air Quality, Watpac, Certis Group, Opus International Brisbane, Davis Langdon, Aurecon, AECOM, Exova Warringtonfire, ERM, Multitech Solutions, Hawkins Jenkins Ross, TBH, Kim Humphreys, Cundall Australia, Eric Martin
Collaborators
Wilson Architects + Donovan Hill
(Now BVN & Partners Hill)
John Thong, Michael Hartwich, Hamilton Wilson, Fuller November, Sophie Atherton, Melissa Dever, Sarah Russell, Sarah Neale, Tim Jukes, Simon Depczynski, Ash Every, Wei Jien, Lauren Wellington, David Evans, Charlotte Guymer, Alisha Renton, Jasper Brown, Michael Herse, Roland Fretwell, Beth Wilson, John Harrison, Kamil Kuciak, Ilka Salisbury, Hyun Kim, Daniel Tsang, Michael Bailey, Sarah Woodhouse, Andrew D'Occhio, Tomoyuki Takada, Peter Harding, Nick Lorenz, Dana Hutchinson, Phillip Lukin, Michael Hogg, Shaun Purcell, Rebecca Lee, Jessica Riske, Sally Tyrell, Brent Hardcastle, David McRae, Michael Ford, Briohny McKauge, Maddie Zahos, Santanu Starick, Neil Wilson
Consultants
Ask Acoustics & Air Quality, Watpac, Certis Group, Opus International Brisbane, Davis Langdon, Aurecon, AECOM, Exova Warringtonfire, ERM, Multitech Solutions, Hawkins Jenkins Ross, TBH, Kim Humphreys, Cundall Australia, Eric Martin
Photography
Christopher Frederick Jones
Awards
2013 AIA National Architecture Award Public Architecture
2013 AIA National Architecture Award Interior Architecture
2013 AIA Queensland Chapter Awards, FDG Stanley Award for Public Architecture
2013 AIA Queensland Chapter Awards, GHM Addison Award for Interior Architecture

