Monthly Forum | NZ Health Design Council

Dave Brunsdon Trusted Seismic Advisor | Health NZ
Mike Neill Project Director | RCP

Join us this September for an overview of two recent Health New Zealand Guidelines, and gain insight into what this means for the industry.

Dave Brunsdon is the Trusted Seismic Advisor to Health New Zealand, and he co-ordinated the development and implementation of the Seismic and Structural Design Guidance Note released in 2024. He will outline how it relates to Building Code requirements and other industry best practice design provisions, and highlight the aspects of the document that are relevant to all design disciplines and design managers. He will also outline the important role of early-stage design reviews in making sure that the key aspects that influence seismic resilience are appropriately addressed, and without undue conservatism.

Mike Neill who led the team delivering the various aspects of the Health NZ Building Services Engineering Guidelines (BSEG). Following on from the previous industry announcements regarding the development of the BSEG, Health NZ are happy to advise that the final version of the guidelines have now been approved for publishing. This update will talk through the process to get to where they are at, the approvals received, consultation inputs and the final documents content, look and feel.

The NZ Health Design Council hosts free monthly forums that bring together people from health, design, and community sectors to share ideas, real-world examples, and practical ways to improve health through better design. Each session includes a speaker, open discussion, and Q&A.

Become a free member to join—members receive the virtual meeting link by email one week before each forum, with a reminder the day before.

Sara McCunnie Director | The Village Architect
Dr Wei-An Chen Architectural Researcher | AUT

Join us this August for an insightful forum featuring expert perspectives on how two very different patient types experience healthcare through infrastructure design.

Sara McCunnie from The Village Architect will present on current PhD research investigating how the arrangement and quantity of space in dementia Special Care Units relates to falls and distressed behaviour across facilities in New Zealand and Australia — with the aim of producing design guidance architects can use early in the design process.

Dr Wei-An Chen will also share key findings on how Healthcare environments are not experienced as isolated rooms, but as unfolding sequences of sensory and affective transitions—from arrival and orientation to waiting, consultation, treatment and recovery.

Become a free member to join—members receive the virtual meeting link by email one week before each forum, with a reminder the day before.

Justine Camp (Associate Professor at Otago University)

Kaupapa Māori and Te Tiriti -based leadership contribution in the Design Process for the New Dunedin Hospital

Associate Professor Justine Camp will speak about her experience as an iwi representative in the design and value management process for the New Dunedin Hospital.
Drawing on Kaupapa Māori and Te Tiriti-based leadership, she will discuss how Indigenous models of care can be embedded into hospital design and service delivery — including governance, pathways, triage, discharge, and outpatient and inpatient models — to create systems that are culturally safe, equity-driven, and fit for future generations.

Become a free member to join—members receive the virtual meeting link by email one week before each forum, with a reminder the day before.

Sannah McColl (Healthcare Architect and Principal at Architectus | Melbourne)

Lada Bodnaruk (Architect at Architectus | Brisbane)

Designing and Delivering Hospitals under a PPP model: Tips and Tricks

Through case studies of recent Architectusʼ PPP projects including the Peninsula University Hospital (with Bates Smart) and the New Melton Hospital (with Design Inc) we will share insights into the process and smarts of this delivery model.

Satellite Health centre model –supporting public health outside of major Hospitals

The presenter will share an insight into the development of the seven satellite health centres in southeast Queensland, Australia.

This health service model is designed to alleviate pressure off hospitals while supporting communities that require lower acuity care closer to home. The outcomes of this model will be presented through mentioned case studies that based on the key design parameters identified throughout the project resulting in the development of highly functional health centres.

Become a free member to join—members receive the virtual meeting link by email one week before each forum, with a reminder the day before.

Greg North (Technical Director – Fire Engineering | Beca)

Kevin Weller (Senior Associate – Fire Engineer | Beca)

Healthcare Fire Design: Avoiding pitfalls throughout the design and construction stages

Fire compliance in healthcare is complex, high-stakes, and often misunderstood — but getting it right is critical.
Join industry experts from Beca as they unpack the realities of fire engineering within New Zealandʼs public hospital sector, drawing on extensive experience from major projects including the New Dunedin Hospital.
This insightful session will break down the fundamentals of healthcare fire design, while sharing practical, real-world lessons to help you de-risk your projects and avoid common challenges across consenting, tendering, construction, and final sign-off.

Become a free member to join—members receive the virtual meeting link by email one week before each forum, with a reminder the day before.

Join us this June for an insightful forum featuring expert perspectives on asset management and HNZ Priority Programmes for Health Infrastructure in NZ.

Priority Programmes for Health Infrastructure in NZ presented by David Warburton

David Warburton will outline the key delivery programmes for HNZ and highlight the challenges and opportunities for improved service and delivery

Condition Assessments Programme presented by Matthew Willard

Matthew Willardfrom Aurecon will present how HNZ has undertaken a programme of condition assessments across multiple sites. This work provides a better understanding of asset condition and supports more effective prioritisation of funding for repairs and replacements.

Become a free member to join—members receive the virtual meeting link by email one week before each forum, with a reminder the day before.

Mark Mitchell (Principal & Health Sector Lead | Billard Leece Partnership)

Paul Curry (Director | COX Architecture)

The New Footscray Hospital is the largest piece of healthcare infrastructure in Victoria’s history. It aspires to being more than a place to attend when sick, but also a precinct for community wellness. Designed during covid lockdowns and opened in March 2026, this talk describes a design strategy which aligns community needs with urban placemaking and large scale standardisation and modularisation.

Become a free member to join—members receive the virtual meeting link by email one week before each forum, with a reminder the day before.

More details to come on this month’s forum.

Become a free member to join—members receive the virtual meeting link by email one week before each forum, with a reminder the day before.

More details to come on this month’s forum.

Become a free member to join—members receive the virtual meeting link by email one week before each forum, with a reminder the day before.

More details to come on this month’s forum.

Become a free member to join—members receive the virtual meeting link by email one week before each forum, with a reminder the day before.

More details to come on this month’s forum.

Become a free member to join—members receive the virtual meeting link by email one week before each forum, with a reminder the day before.

More details to come on this month’s forum.

Become a free member to join—members receive the virtual meeting link by email one week before each forum, with a reminder the day before.