BLP completes Wattle Building for Sydney children's hospital with folded aluminium facade

Australian architecture studio Billard Leece Partnership (BLP) has completed the Wattle Building at The Children's Hospital Westmead in Sydney, a 57,000-square-metre acute-care facility clad in folded geometric aluminium panels in orange and blue-grey tones, referencing the inland river landscape. The design, led by BLP managing director Tara Veldman and architecture lead Ivan Turcinov, draws on the convergence of the Parramatta River, Toongabbie Creek and Darling Mills Creek. The building features a landscaped forecourt with a colourful striped canopy, an elevated pathway called KidsWay, and inpatient units organised as 'neighbourhoods' with 12 single-occupancy rooms per section. The project includes biophilic design principles, Indigenous art installations, a pet visiting area, and multifunctional family spaces. The landscape architect was McGregor Coxall, builder RobertsCo, structural and civil engineer Arup, and acoustics by Stantec. Photography by Tom Roe.