The Magazine | Australian National Construction Review | Brenan Place
Building for the Future of Healthcare
Delivering a premium commercial building is one challenge. Delivering one within the heart of a live hospital precinct – while restoring a heritage landmark, maintaining uninterrupted hospital operations and creating long-term value for the client – is another entirely.
Located within Melbourne’s renowned St Vincent’s Hospital precinct, Brenan Place is far more than a 14-storey A-Grade commercial development. Purpose-built to support Australia’s rapidly growing healthcare and life sciences sector, the building provides high-quality accommodation for administration, education, research, health services and commercial tenants, strengthening one of the country’s leading centres for clinical excellence, teaching and innovation.
For Hansen Yuncken, the project presented an opportunity to showcase the specialist expertise required to deliver sophisticated health and life sciences infrastructure in one of Melbourne’s most technically demanding urban environments.
From the outset, Brenan Place demanded exceptional planning, coordination and collaboration. Constructed on a tightly constrained brownfield site bounded by major arterial roads and embedded within the operational St Vincent’s Hospital campus, every stage of delivery required careful management to protect hospital operations, maintain public access and safely coordinate construction activities and overlapping workzones alongside the neighbouring Aikenhead Centre for Medical Discovery.
“We effectively took the site over, excavated into the basement and then built 14 storeys of structure above including the plant room and roof area,” said Hansen Yuncken Project Manager Keegan Emmons.
One of the project’s defining challenges was the restoration and integration of the heritage-listed Brenan Hall. Rather than preserving the façade as a standalone historical element, the team successfully incorporated the 1889 structure into a contemporary commercial building, transforming it into a striking business lounge and event space that connects the site’s rich history with its future purpose.
Achieving this outcome required early engagement with specialist heritage consultants and experienced restoration contractors to undertake detailed structural rectification, façade restoration and the careful integration of multiple existing brickwork systems. The result is a seamless architectural outcome that celebrates the building’s heritage while meeting the performance expectations of a modern healthcare and commercial facility.
Beyond the physical construction challenges, Hansen Yuncken also demonstrated the value of early contractor involvement and design leadership. The team rigorously reviewed the design to improve constructability, increase efficiency and maximise commercial outcomes.
Through a series of targeted value engineering initiatives, Hansen Yuncken generated more than $1.8 million in accepted capital savings while increasing the building’s net lettable area by approximately 275 square metres, equating to millions of dollars in additional long-term value without increasing the overall capital cost. Intelligent redesign of the building core, services reticulation and floor plates created a more efficient building that delivers greater commercial return while maintaining the architectural vision.
The project’s complexity extended well beyond the base building. Hansen Yuncken simultaneously delivered integrated fitout works for both St Vincent’s Hospital and the Australian Catholic University, allowing critical healthcare and education facilities to transition seamlessly into occupation while reducing program risk and minimising future disruption.
“We built part of the fitout at the same time as the base building, allowing tenants to benefit from our understanding of the structure as it was delivered,” Keegan said.
Although Brenan Place targets a 5 Star Green Star rating, a 5.5 Star NABERS Energy rating and a 3 Star NABERS Water rating, sustainability was embedded as part of a broader commitment to delivering a high-performing, future-focused building. Every design decision from material selection, procurement and compliance tracking through to services integration and construction methodology required dedicated resources and was carefully considered to achieve long-term operational performance while supporting the project’s ambitious environmental objectives.
“I think one of the biggest achievements was the level of coordination and cooperation between all parties,” Keegan reflected.
Brenan Place stands as a compelling example of Hansen Yuncken’s ability to deliver sophisticated healthcare, commercial and research facilities within highly constrained operational environments. It is a project defined not simply by what was built, but by the expertise required to build it – balancing heritage conservation, commercial value, stakeholder priorities and construction excellence to create a landmark destination for Melbourne’s healthcare and life sciences community.
Yet beyond the technical achievement, Brenan Place is a project with genuine purpose. As an extension of the St Vincent’s Hospital precinct, it will support the clinicians, researchers, educators and innovators driving better healthcare outcomes for decades to come.
“Being involved in a project where the end use is connected to medical outcomes is a positive for everyone involved,” Keegan said. “Knowing the building will ultimately support research, education and patient care gives the entire team an added sense of purpose.”
For more information contact Hansen Yuncken Pty Ltd, Level 10, 412 St Kilda Road, Melbourne VIC 3004, phone 03 9831 6500, email melbourne@hansenyuncken.com.au, website www.hansenyuncken.com.au
Factbox
Developer: IFM Investors Pty Ltd / HESTA
Key Tenant: St Vincent’s Healthcare Limited
Main Construction Company: Hansen Yuncken Pty Ltd
Project Manager: Duo Projects
Architects: Bates Smart (base build) and Gray Puksand (fit out)
A Flexible, Interoperable Approach to Modern Access Control
Case StudiesCOMMSecurity delivered an integrated, scalable security system at Brenan Place, enabling flexible, future-ready building operations.
The complexity of Brenan Place’s mixed-use, high-sensitivity spaces demanded a flexible, future-ready approach that could support multiple user groups while maintaining strict control and compliance across the building.
Requiring a fully integrated, intelligent system capable of working seamlessly with broader building services, Brenan Place reflects a growing trend where security is increasingly embedded into the operational fabric of the building rather than treated as a discrete layer.
Appointed as the Network and Security Integrator, COMMSecurity’s role centred on delivering this integration outcome, aligning access control, monitoring and systems connectivity to support a responsive and scalable environment designed to adapt as operational needs evolve.
The comprehensive scope included access control, CCTV, intercom systems and the Active Integrated Communications Network (ICN). The focus was on creating a solution that would extend beyond immediate requirements.
“The key to our service and solution offering was a flexible, interoperable access control system,” explained Justin Anders COMMSecurity’s GM. “It allows mobile digital access and can easily expand as the building evolves and new tenants come on board.”
Central to the project was the implementation of the Active ICN, which provides a single, converged IP network connecting all building systems. This approach streamlined installation and commissioning across trades while significantly enhancing operational efficiency. “The Active ICN enables each trade to install and commission their systems with ease,” Justin explained.
COMMSecurity further strengthened the system by introducing a virtualised server environment, eliminating the need for multiple standalone servers. This not only reduced space requirements within the building’s infrastructure but also enhanced cybersecurity and standardised system performance.
“It creates a cyber-safe IT environment for all building systems and allows for centralised remote connectivity,” Justin said.
The result is a streamlined, cost-effective network architecture supported by a single primary and redundant internet connection, delivering both efficiency and resilience.
Integration was a defining aspect of COMMSecurity’s approach. Rather than implementing isolated systems, the team focused on interoperability, ensuring access control, CCTV, intercom and network systems functioned as a cohesive platform. “We choose systems that interoperate and remain flexible, always thinking about the future and how different tenants will use the building,” Justin noted.
COMMSecurity also played a pivotal role in guiding the broader project team through the complexities of integrated systems. This included detailed design documentation, cyber safety planning, and ongoing client engagement to ensure long-term operational success. Their collaborative approach was critical in aligning multiple trades and stakeholders around a unified vision.
Working adjacent to St Vincent’s Hospital presented additional challenges, with the need to minimise disruption in a live, high-traffic environment. “Clear communication and process were essential,” Justin said. “Installation and commissioning were closely coordinated and monitored to ensure minimal disruption and reduce the need for return visits.”
The completed system delivers tangible benefits across building performance and user experience. A centralised platform enables seamless access control, integrated monitoring and simplified management for facilities teams, while mobile digital access and intercom functionality enhance convenience for occupants. The inclusion of a building-wide Wi-Fi network further supports operational flexibility, allowing contractors and management to connect remotely while providing guest access throughout the facility.
Collaboration with Hansen Yuncken and other project partners was fundamental to achieving this outcome.
“Regular coordination meetings, clear scheduling and strong communication ensured all systems were integrated efficiently within the broader construction program,” Justin said. “Everyone worked together to achieve a seamless result.”
Brenan Place is well positioned to adapt to future tenant needs and emerging technologies. COMMSecurity’s scalable design allows new tenants to be onboarded with minimal disruption, ensuring the building remains agile as requirements evolve.
“We developed a solution that makes future expansion simple,” Justin said. “That foresight is already delivering benefits as new tenant fitouts come online.”
For more information contact COMMSecurity Australia, Level 1/ 250 Canterbury Road, Surrey Hills VIC 3127, phone 1300 009 004, email info@commsecurity.com.au, website www.commsecurity.com.au
Supporting Building Services Validation Through Independent Commissioning
Case StudiesBase Services Group delivered commissioning oversight at Brenan Place, validating building services performance through structured verification.
In complex projects, ‘finished’ doesn’t always mean ready.
At Brennan Place, Base Services Group was the Independent Commissioning Agent (ICA), supporting systems validation to ensure all building services were tested, verified, and aligned with the project’s requirements.
“As the ICA, we add value by providing commissioning-related input to design and reviewing services documentation to ensure the process aligns with the design intent,” said Bryce Henzen, BASE National ICA Lead. “It’s about making sure every system not only works but works holistically.”
BASE was onsite from day one and remained involved to completion, undertaking witness testing and verifying that all Green Star and ESD requirements were adhered to. Commissioning phase is critical, ensuring every system performs as designed and integrates seamlessly. By maintaining a hands-on and collaborative presence, BASE ensured that all building services operated efficiently and cohesively.
A key challenge was the late delivery of permanent authority power. “The delay in permanent power meant we had to revise our commissioning approach, including implementing temporary generator power to allow key commissioning activities to begin,” said Richard Trow, BASE Technical Operations Manager.
BASE’s experience across highly complex environments including hospitals, pharmaceutical facilities, clean rooms, commercial developments, and data centres proved essential at Brennan Place.
Where commissioning and verification are critical to a building’s successful operation, BASE goes further to ensure the best possible outcome at project completion.
For Base Services Group, performance is never assumed – it is proven.
For more information contact Base Services Group,
email info@baseservicesgroup.com.au,
website www.baseservicesgroup.com.au
BASE – The Independent Commissioning Authority