Published Tuesday, 19 February, 2008 at 11:43 AM
Premier
The Honourable Anna Bligh
Design chosen for multi-million dollar Smart Therapies Institute
Brisbane firms Wilson Architects and Donovan Hill have been named as winner of the architectural design competition for the new multi-million dollar Smart Therapies Institute.
Premier Anna Bligh congratulated both companies on their design for the Institute, which would take Queensland and Australia to the next level of medical research, development and commercialisation.
“It will be the first Institute of its kind in Australia - and one of only a few in the world - to have the ability to discover, produce, clinically test and manufacture new biopharmaceuticals and treatments all in the one place,” said Ms Bligh.
“Bringing everything together under the one roof means our scientists will be able to more quickly take their research from the labs to the bedside, which is very good news for Queenslanders.”
The Bligh Government has contributed more than $100 million to the construction and that figure has been matched by the Federal Government.
“The Institute would pay for itself with the development of just one blockbuster drug.
“Australia missed out on up to $300 million during the development of Gardasil, the cervical cancer vaccine discovered at The University of Queensland, because we couldn’t fully trial and commercialise the drug here,” Ms Bligh said.
She said the Institute would be designed by Queensland architects who had
previously collaborated successfully on the stunning design for the Millennium Library at the Brisbane Cultural Centre.
“Wilson Architects and Donovan Hill triumphed over a tough field with a typically innovative design,” Ms Bligh said.
“They have taken care to ensure it fits well into the wider Princess Alexandra Hospital precinct, incorporating a large outdoor “room” to encourage staff interaction and contact with the hospital and the broader community.
“Wilson Architects have previously produced exceptional results with projects such as the Eleanor Schonell Bridge, Suncorp Stadium, the Cancer Research Centre at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research and the Logan Council office accommodation.
“Donovan Hill has been equally innovative on projects like the Queensland College of Art at Griffith University and the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation at the Queensland University of Technology.”
Regional Development and Industry Minister Desley Boyle said the Institute was the vision of two of Australia’s most noted scientists – 2006 Australian of the Year Professor Ian Frazer and Mater Medical Research Institute Director Professor Derek Hart, both of whom were on the eight-person judging panel for the design competition.
“This amazing facility will be located on the Princess Alexandra Hospital campus and will be home to more than 600 researchers,” Ms Boyle said.
“They will be drawn from the University of Queensland’s Diamantina Institute for Cancer, Immunology and Metabolic Medicine, the Mater Medical Research Institute, the Queensland University of Technology’s Institute for Health and Biomedical Innovation and the Princess Alexandra Hospital.
“The Institute will also house a new pilot-scale manufacturing and testing facility for BioPharmaceuticals Australia who will develop drugs and vaccines for use in research at the facility.”
Ms Boyle said the Smart Therapies Institute, also known as the Translational Research Institute, would focus on a wide range of health and medical research areas including cervical cancer, breast cancer, melanoma, liver and kidney disease, malaria, HIV, osteoporosis, obesity, arthritis and diabetes.
“The result of such concentrated collaboration will be an extraordinary boost to the search for a cure for many insidious diseases,” Ms Boyle said.
Construction on the new Institute is due to begin next year and it is expected to open in late 2011.
“In the past decade, the State Government has committed more than $500 million to support Queensland’s health and medical research capabilities,” Ms Boyle said.
Media contact: Minister Boyle’s Office 3225 1005
Wilson Architects: Michael Hartwich (spokesman for both companies) 3831 2755 www.wilsonarchitects.com.au Donovan Hill: 3831 3255 www.donovanhill.com.au
Premier Anna Bligh congratulated both companies on their design for the Institute, which would take Queensland and Australia to the next level of medical research, development and commercialisation.
“It will be the first Institute of its kind in Australia - and one of only a few in the world - to have the ability to discover, produce, clinically test and manufacture new biopharmaceuticals and treatments all in the one place,” said Ms Bligh.
“Bringing everything together under the one roof means our scientists will be able to more quickly take their research from the labs to the bedside, which is very good news for Queenslanders.”
The Bligh Government has contributed more than $100 million to the construction and that figure has been matched by the Federal Government.
“The Institute would pay for itself with the development of just one blockbuster drug.
“Australia missed out on up to $300 million during the development of Gardasil, the cervical cancer vaccine discovered at The University of Queensland, because we couldn’t fully trial and commercialise the drug here,” Ms Bligh said.
She said the Institute would be designed by Queensland architects who had
previously collaborated successfully on the stunning design for the Millennium Library at the Brisbane Cultural Centre.
“Wilson Architects and Donovan Hill triumphed over a tough field with a typically innovative design,” Ms Bligh said.
“They have taken care to ensure it fits well into the wider Princess Alexandra Hospital precinct, incorporating a large outdoor “room” to encourage staff interaction and contact with the hospital and the broader community.
“Wilson Architects have previously produced exceptional results with projects such as the Eleanor Schonell Bridge, Suncorp Stadium, the Cancer Research Centre at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research and the Logan Council office accommodation.
“Donovan Hill has been equally innovative on projects like the Queensland College of Art at Griffith University and the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation at the Queensland University of Technology.”
Regional Development and Industry Minister Desley Boyle said the Institute was the vision of two of Australia’s most noted scientists – 2006 Australian of the Year Professor Ian Frazer and Mater Medical Research Institute Director Professor Derek Hart, both of whom were on the eight-person judging panel for the design competition.
“This amazing facility will be located on the Princess Alexandra Hospital campus and will be home to more than 600 researchers,” Ms Boyle said.
“They will be drawn from the University of Queensland’s Diamantina Institute for Cancer, Immunology and Metabolic Medicine, the Mater Medical Research Institute, the Queensland University of Technology’s Institute for Health and Biomedical Innovation and the Princess Alexandra Hospital.
“The Institute will also house a new pilot-scale manufacturing and testing facility for BioPharmaceuticals Australia who will develop drugs and vaccines for use in research at the facility.”
Ms Boyle said the Smart Therapies Institute, also known as the Translational Research Institute, would focus on a wide range of health and medical research areas including cervical cancer, breast cancer, melanoma, liver and kidney disease, malaria, HIV, osteoporosis, obesity, arthritis and diabetes.
“The result of such concentrated collaboration will be an extraordinary boost to the search for a cure for many insidious diseases,” Ms Boyle said.
Construction on the new Institute is due to begin next year and it is expected to open in late 2011.
“In the past decade, the State Government has committed more than $500 million to support Queensland’s health and medical research capabilities,” Ms Boyle said.
Media contact: Minister Boyle’s Office 3225 1005
Wilson Architects: Michael Hartwich (spokesman for both companies) 3831 2755 www.wilsonarchitects.com.au Donovan Hill: 3831 3255 www.donovanhill.com.au