The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (TQEH) has undergone a major transformation with the completion of the new Kangkanthi Clinical Services Building in 2024. This five-level, 27,000 m² facility brings worldclass healthcare to Adelaide’s western suburbs, expanding emergency, surgical, and rehabilitation services for generations to come.

Kangkanthi houses a 46-bay emergency department, intensive care unit, operating theatres, imaging and pathology facilities, and a 52-bed rehabilitation ward. Sustainability was a key focus, with the building achieving a 6-Star rating under SA Health’s In-house Green Rating Assessment Tool (IGRAT), the highest score achievable.

Lighting That Makes a Difference

Lighting in healthcare environments is more than illumination, it’s about precision, comfort, and wellbeing. Every space in Kangkanthi was designed to meet the highest standards for visual performance, ensuring medical staff can work with accuracy and confidence. High Colour Rendering Index (CRI) and optimal colour temperature were essential for tasks such as surgery, diagnostics, and patient monitoring. The Cyanosis Observation Index (COI) was also a critical consideration, supporting accurate colour perception for clinical assessments. To achieve this, HI Lighting partnered with Australian manufacturers to deliver custom wall wash solutions featuring high-efficiency LEDs, designed specifically for medical applications.

Our Lighting Approach

The lighting design combines functionality with aesthetics, creating a safe, welcoming environment for patients, staff, and visitors. Exterior wall lights and extrusions highlight the building’s architecture while ensuring clear visibility after dark. Inside, flexible linear lighting adds depth and character to ceilings and feature spaces, while tailored downlights provide the right illumination for waiting areas, patient rooms, staff zones, and corridors. In radiology imaging rooms, high-output blue downlights were installed to reduce glare, improve image contrast, and allow better visualisation of fine details, crucial for detecting subtle abnormalities in scans.

Australian Made extrusion lighting was integrated throughout the interiors, blending seamlessly with architectural details and supporting local manufacturing. In the hospital’s courtyards, bollards transform outdoor spaces into tranquil retreats where patients can enjoy fresh air in a comforting environment.

Project Outcome

The redevelopment of TQEH and the addition of Kangkanthi deliver state-of-the-art facilities that combine advanced healthcare with thoughtful design. Lighting played a vital role in this transformation, bringing precision for medical tasks and ambience for patient comfort. Through custom solutions and innovative design, HI Lighting helped create a space that is safe, restorative, and future-ready.

Project Credits

SA Health 
Cheesman Architects 
STH Architects 
Oxigen 
BCA Engineers 
Bestec 
Built Environs
TRP Photography