Tuesday September 8, 2026

Barwon Women’s and Children’s is designed to be safe, inclusive and family-friendly.

Drawing inspiration from the local landscape, the designs express a strong connection to place and community identity.

Designed by project architect, Lyons, the design includes natural colours, shapes and forms drawn from the Barwon River, You Yangs and Bellarine Peninsula.

The theme of water

Water as a symbol of life and connection runs throughout the facility, reflected in the stepped “waterfall” design of the façade and water droplet imagery. Reinforcing the relationship between people, place and nature.

The theme of Manna and River Red Gums

Located on the sixth storey of the new tower, the paediatric unit features a skylight that scales three floors, allowing natural light to filter through from the very top of the eight-storey tower into a central lounge.

This design is inspired by the peeling bark of Manna and River Red Gums, representing renewal, growth and helping to create a calm and comforting atmosphere for young patients and their families.

Inspiration for shared spaces

The theme of water continues inside the new tower, with imagery of a water droplet falling from the leaf of a Manna Gum serving as the inspiration for the design of shared spaces in the new paediatric
inpatient unit.

Image: The Barwon Women’s and Children’s project team participating in a Walk on Country with the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners
Image: An example of the Barwon Women's and Children's tower façade viewed from Myers Street.
Image: Concept designs for the central lounge in the paediatric unit.
Image: Concept diagram of water droplets falling from Manna Gum leaf.