Tōtara Haumaru – North Shore Hospital
Tōtara Haumaru (The Sheltering Tōtara) is Aotearoa New Zealand’s newest hospital facility and the largest development at North Shore Hospital in 50 years.
This regional healthcare hub, covering over 19,600 square meters, has been built to anticipate the needs of the fast-growing and aging population in the northern parts of NZ. The four-story hospital building is designed to focus on the needs of patients and their families and integrates modern models of care, aiming to enhance the experience of patients and visitors.
Built over three-and-a-half years, this significant infrastructure development aims to support the durability of health services in the Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and Te Tai Tokerau Northland regions. It will also facilitate the treatment of patients from distant areas.
Supported by the Well Foundation and community, the building also features New Zealand’s first large-scale indoor healing garden, which provides a place of calm for patients, whānau and staff.
The new facility is connected to the existing 40-bed Elective Surgery Centre and features state-of-the-art equipment and technology. It includes eight additional operating theatres and five inpatient wards – totalling 150 inpatient beds. The new addition also includes Whānau rooms, allowing families to be close to loved ones who are receiving medical care. As well as the surgical theatres and wards, Tōtara Haumaru includes four new procedure suites, reducing wait times for colonoscopy and gastroscopy procedures.
Providing increased availability of negative pressure rooms on the North Shore Hospital campus, Tōtara Haumaru will help to manage and minimise the impact of infectious diseases, especially respiratory illnesses.
Additionally, the building is designed for IL4 disaster recovery to ensure uninterrupted function following a major event.
The design of Tōtara Haumaru creates a more welcoming and less clinical atmosphere than is often associated with healthcare settings.
The 450sqm indoor healing garden, designed by Jasmax in collaboration with Haumi and Outside In, incorporates elements of nature and natural light to promote a sense of wellbeing.
In addition, non-clinical areas feature signage, warm, calming colour schemes, and timber finishes designed to reduce stress, support staff morale, and help visitors navigate the facility more easily.
The building's name, given by Dame Rangimārie Naida Glavish (Ngāti Whātua), honours a tōtara tree that once stood on the site of the new hospital. The timber from this tōtara has been carved into a pou placed in the main reception lobby. Timber has also been used in non-clinical spaces, including the arrival area, main entrance, atrium, waiting areas, and staff workspaces, creating a warm and calming atmosphere infused with the presence of nature.
The interior design and wayfinding concepts are inspired by the plumage of native bird species, with feather motifs inscribed into timber panelling and colours providing a coding system identifying each of the four floor levels.
To meet the need for reliable, fit-for-purpose healthcare vinyl flooring, Jacobsen recommended the well-known and trusted Tarkett iQ collection and Primo products, which Jasmax chose to feature in various warm neutral hues. Tarkett Primo Safe.T was utilised in wet areas throughout the new facility, with best-in-class performance and low-cost maintenance delivering an ideal solution for heavy-duty needs.
Primo SD static-dissipative flooring was used for operating theatres and procedure rooms to provide a perfect combination of stable and reliable static dissipation, alongside a pre-treatment that provides a base for future maintenance procedures.
The building also features an extended Sky Bridge link that connects to the main hospital tower block, enabling the flexibility to transfer patients between facilities and departments as required.
Tōtara Haumaru is a complex project of national significance, and the design and delivery of this facility required meticulous collaboration, technical capability, and a willingness to adapt to changing circumstances.
The project management team included Precon Project Management, RLB Rider Levett Bucknall, Hawkins, Jasmax, Beca and Aurecon.
