Peacock Mental Health Centre

Project scope

Linden Ave, Hobart TAS 7000

COVA delivered all Engineering services and BIM documentation for the $10M re-construction of the secure mental health facility in North Hobart following a deliberately lit fire in 2016. Excerpts from Xsquared’s publication provides a good summary of the overall project: Heritage restoration of ‘Ruardean’ – the home of W.D. Peacock – enables the Peacock Centre to be reinstated as a significant community asset. Work involves re-roofing and general repair; removal of insensitive later additions; construction of a new addition, compatible with and sensitive to the existing building; and restoration of the original greenhouse and surrounding heritage gardens. The redevelopment includes 12 short stay bedrooms; communal visitor spaces; personal reflection spaces; treatment/counselling spaces; a small Safe Haven cafe with a kitchen; and ancillary and multipurpose spaces for staff and users. As well as a wide range of internal personal reflection spaces, new and restored landscaping provides external alternatives, with gardens open to the broader community. As the development is partially constructed within a heritage building, a distinctly different approach to building services was required across the two zones, while also paying careful attention to anti-ligature considerations in the unsupervised patient areas. Key building services elements include heat recovery ventilation throughout, hydronic floor heating to patient areas, hydronic radiators to the heritage zones and 100% electric energy source. Following the success of this project, the same team was later engaged to deliver the $20M St Johns Park “Southern Mental Health Facility” including more extensive patient accommodation, various allied health facilities and support services.