New Shellharbour Hospital

Integrated into Nature

The new Shellharbour Hospital is set to transform healthcare delivery for the Illawarra community, providing world-class medical services on a thoughtfully designed greenfield site in Dunmore, NSW. Strategically located with excellent road and rail connections, the hospital will offer convenient access for the entire community while reducing travel times and alleviating pressure on nearby facilities such as Wollongong Hospital.

Designed in collaboration with Cox Architecture, Studio STH has created a facility that seamlessly integrates with its natural surroundings. The hospital’s architecture respects the site’s contours and incorporates lush greenery, tree-lined walking paths, and thoughtfully planned spaces for meeting and reflection. This approach ensures the environment promotes the health and wellbeing of patients, staff, and visitors alike.

The new Shellharbour Hospital has been envisioned as a future-focused healthcare hub, accommodating the region’s growing needs with space for future expansion. The facility will deliver a comprehensive range of services, including expanded emergency care, increased surgical capacity, contemporary mental health facilities, acute medical services, rehabilitation, aged care, renal dialysis, outpatient and ambulatory care, and enhanced car parking and public transport links.

The hospital’s design celebrates the local culture and history, incorporating the Five Islands Dreamtime story into the massing, landscape, façade, and interiors. This narrative approach weaves a sense of place and identity throughout the facility, creating a human-centered design that is both meaningful and appropriately scaled for the community it serves. By combining innovation, cultural respect, and patient-focused care, the new Shellharbour Hospital will stand as a beacon of health and healing for generations to come.