ThomsonAdsett has designed Hummingbird House – a new state-of-the-art children’s hospice, which is the only one of its kind in Queensland and the third in Australia.

The design seeks to create a warm embrace for families. It provides flexibility which allows guests time and space to choose how they engage with each other and the facility. The design offers opportunities for families to enjoy precious moments – whether a sensory swim, a walk in the trees, or an outdoor movie. 

The project was undertaken in collaboration with Surroundings, and involved an extensive human-centred engagement and briefing process including workshops with families, clinicians and other children’s hospice providers in Australia and the UK.

Design features have made a richer experience for families, such as the rooftop space which supports a series of workshops for teenagers who have life-limiting conditions.

Hummingbird House provides a variety of accommodation options, with eight Guests In-Care bedrooms and three two-bedroom adaptable apartments for the estimated 3700 Queensland children and their families affected by life-limiting conditions.