UQ Oral Health Centre

The award winning University of Queensland Oral Health Centre is the largest in size and scope in Australasia, designed to deliver high quality patient treatment, dental education and research.

Michael Rayner of the firm then known as Cox Rayner Architects was involved in the design of the centre. His firm worked in a association with Hames Sharley and Conrad Gargett.

The UQ Oral Health Centre forms a flank to the university’s medical campus at Herston, and a connector between the campus and the adjoining Royal Brisbane Hospital.

The focus of the design is its relationship to a central park, with virtually all circulation along the edge.

The organic forms and spaces were shaped to retain existing trees on the site, and to negotiate the rise of land up to the campus’ historic Mayne Medical Centre.

A large open-sided atrium facilitates public movement through the building.

Thirty per cent of the Centre is naturally ventilated, utilising a timber-louvred ventilating wall system along the park edge.

Using the latest in both simulation techniques and state-of-the-art facilities for the treatment of patients, the OHC combines research, education, training, and specialist expertise in patient care.

Built at a cost of $120 million, the OHC contains over 150 dental chairs across 11 clinics, two general anesthetic theatres, a PC2 laboratory catering to a range of laboratory based research, two clinical simulation laboratories, two auditoriums and a seminar room complex aiding multi-modal delivery.

The project was completed in 2015 and in late 2016, The University of Queensland Oral Health Centre was awarded three national Australian Institute of Architects awards, making it the single most awarded project in Australia across all categories for 2016.

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