Calvary Adelaide Hospital

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About the Project

Calvary Adelaide Hospital is a prestigious, state-of-the-art healthcare facility in South Australia, employing more than 600 staff and providing care to over 27,000 people each year. From the earliest planning stages, the hospital team set out to create an interior environment that felt warm and welcoming, recognising the important role design plays in supporting both patient and staff wellbeing.

The Challenge

Hospitals can be daunting and stressful environments, particularly for patients undergoing care and their families. Research consistently shows that inspirational wall imagery can positively impact wellbeing, helping to reduce stress indicators such as blood pressure and heart rate, and in some cases even shortening patient stays or reducing the need for pain medication. The challenge was to incorporate meaningful, calming artwork throughout the hospital while meeting the strict hygiene, durability, and infection-control requirements of a modern healthcare facility.

The Solution

Working closely with the hospital team and patients, architects and interior designers at Silver Thomas Hanley (STH) developed a series of distinct themes for each level, supporting wayfinding and a

sense of familiarity. Themes included Picnic in the Park, Sunday Roast, Backyard BBQ, Urban Café, Vineyard, and Beach Shack.

These themes were integrated into Acrovyn by Design® walling panels in patient bedrooms and behind wash basins. STH collaborated with local South Australian photographer Ben Goode to select imagery that promoted calmness and tranquillity, including a trees and forests theme in staff areas to support moments of rest in a demanding work environment.

Reflecting on the completed project, Inta Thomas, Senior Interior Designer at

STH, said, “The hospital is very happy with the finished walling design and clarity of the large wall imagery, with Acrovyn by Design® being very suitable for a strict infection conscious hospital environment.”

STH selected Acrovyn by Design® for its high-quality image clarity, design flexibility, and suitability for healthcare settings. “We chose Acrovyn by Design® as a high-quality product and its suitability to the hospital environment to deliver high clarity images,” said Thomas. The result balances creative freedom with high-performance wall protection, delivering a warm, inviting interior without compromising durability or hygiene.