Perth Children's Hospital kids' pedestrian bridge commended

The Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation Kids’ Bridge — a three-metre-wide, 217-metre-long pedestrian bridge over Winthrop Avenue in Nedlands, connecting the Perth Children’s Hospital and Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre to Kings Park — has been commended at the 2022 Dulux Colour Awards.

Designed by Fratelle and BEAM, the colourful facility provides families with the opportunity to escape the rigours of their hospital journey by providing safe access to nearby Kings Park.

“This striking, serpentine-like bridge connecting Perth Children’s Hospital to Kings Park is a dazzling urban intervention, which undoubtedly fulfils its ambition to uplift young patients undergoing treatment and rehabilitation,” the judges commented.

“Thoughtfully created to provide colour therapy and its mental health benefits, as much as a physical connection to the hospital’s neighbouring parkland, Koolangka Bridge embraces Aboriginal culture as an integral part of its vibrant scheme. The underside mural, painted by Indigenous artist Kamsani Bin Salleh in Dulux Weathershield colours, offers an unexpected visual delight to those passing below, adding yet another dimension to this multifaceted and impactful project,” the judges said.

“The deck surfaces are banked up on either side in direct response to the forces acting on the structure, providing a playful sloped footway for children to explore. The fluid geometry and vibrant colours of the deck create a distinctive aesthetic that is particularly apparent from the hospital. Within Kings Park the approaches are arranged to minimise disruption to protected habitats, meandering through sensitive vegetation and utilising low-impact construction methods,” BEAM said.

Image credit: Asset Reports