Innovation in the Tropics

A new medical school as part of the Cairns University Hospital will the first Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) building in the Far North Queensland.

(Completion September 2025)

A city campus connected to its tropical setting

The CTEC development will become a new city marker for Cairns North. This foundation building is part of a larger precinct which will contribute to a dynamic community centered around health and innovation. The building is important in establishing a major footprint in the city of Cairns and is reflected in the quality and finish of this new facility. The seamless connections both visually and physically from the inside to outside will be fundamental to this proposition. This can occur at multiple levels of the buildings to improve how different communities can experience this connection.

Destination workplace

Creating a destination where people look forward to coming together to collaborate. A critical component of the development will be a uniquely landscaped court designed for the tropics, that gives focus and unifies the Precinct as a collective of varied but allied developments. The use of timber as the primary structure will give the building a unique quality that has a richness and warmth for teaching, study and working.

Place of healing

Maximising natural light and materials, as well as integrating back into the landscape will be important to the practice of connecting people and the natural world as part of improved wellbeing. Biophilic design strategies can reduce stress, improve cognitive function and creativity, improve wellbeing. Finding ways to create a building that also improves the way indigenous communites interact with institutions is critical in expediting healing.