QVS Stafford Vet Hospital | Vokes and Peters

A technically complex project, this hospital for domestic animals/pets is located in a semi-industrial suburb of Brisbane.

The building is orthogonal, enabling the functional program, which is superbly and efficiently organised around a central circulation loop to snuggly fit the site. This loop is punctuated with skylights that provide natural light to the interior, with clever organising strategies separating public, private, and clinical areas.

An entry court supplies clear client address from the adjacent carpark, and the animal rehabilitation area and staff courtyard to the rear provides additional utility and amenity for staff and patients.

The building mass sits on a low, concrete plinth and is broken into a base and top; the top is accentuated by a continuous dado flashing, making for a well-proportioned elevation with subtle changes in transparency to the corrugated envelope that pays homage to the building’s industrial neighbours.

The façade flares to create a beautiful skirt for the western elevation, acting as a sunscreen and providing natural light to operating theatres behind, while also offering characteristic street frontage.

Evidently cost effective and efficient, the planning, materials, and construction technology demonstrate the architect’s masterful approach in optimising character and identity for a technically demanding brief within a constrained budget.