First images, video of the $300 million SAHMRI 2 building in Adelaide’s health and biomedical precinct

SEE THE VIDEO: One of Adelaide’s most recognisable buildings will get a sister. Get your first look at the planned $300 million SAHMRI 2, a futuristic tower that will house a proton therapy unit capable of killing inoperable cancers. Now it just needs a nickname.

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THE innovative future of healthcare in Adelaide has taken another step forward, as details of the imposing new $300 million SAHMRI 2 project are revealed.

Architectural drawings show how the futuristic building will rise next to the iconic SA Health and Medical Research Institute, dubbed the “cheese grater”, in the multibillion-dollar SA Health and Biomedical Precinct.

It will house the southern hemisphere’s first proton therapy unit capable of killing inoperable cancers.

Its centrepiece will be a three-storey treatment and research bunker housing the proton therapy unit.

An artist impression of the SAHMRI 2 building on North Tce.

As well as helping local families who face mortgaging homes to seek such treatment overseas, the Australian Bragg Centre for Proton Therapy and Research will draw patients from interstate and overseas plus researchers in a wealth and health boost for SA.

SAHMRI 2’s neighbours include the Royal Adelaide Hospital, the University of Adelaide Health and Medical Sciences Building, the UniSA Health Innovation Building and SAHMRI, which together form Adelaide BioMed City.

TELL US BELOW: SAHMRI is known as the Cheese Grater — what nickname fits the new SAHMRI 2 building?

An application for planning approval for SAHMRI 2 was submitted in April following legal, financial and technical due diligence processes and the building is expected to be finished by 2021, creating 250 jobs in construction.

The 14-storey SAHMRI 2 will house more than 400 researchers in the first three floors, and the proton therapy unit will treat around 800 people a year.

An artist impressions of the SAHMRI 2 building on North Tce. It is between the first SAHMRI building and the uni building.

The State Government has committed $44 million to the project, including relocating the Train Operating Control Centre from the site. The Federal Government will pay $68 million for the proton therapy unit with the balance sourced from the private sector.

The building, owned by Commercial & General, aims to complement the striking facade of the SAHMRI flagship which draws inspiration from a pine cone. SAHMRI executive director Professor Steve Wesselingh said the Australian Bragg Centre would deliver the most technologically advanced, precision radiation therapy ever seen in the southern hemisphere and has the potential to be part of the cure for a significant number of cancers.

“Hundreds of patients a year in Australia would benefit significantly from proton therapy,” he said.

A proton therapy machine. Supplied by Mevion

“This is a game-changer for patients and will put South Australia on the global stage for cancer treatment.”

Commercial & General chief executive Trevor Cooke said it was a prime example of business and the medical sector working together to provide government with the platform for a revolution in treatment of cancer patients.

“We’ve been able to ensure South Australia will be at the absolute forefront of cancer treatment, further underlining the State’s burgeoning reputation as a leader in health.”

Woods Bagot’s Thomas Masullo said SAHMRI was a catalyst in revitalising the inner city and the evolution of the biomedical precinct.

Medical outlook appears healthy

CHANGES in health care over the next 30 years are likely to include personalised treatment for diseases like cancer based on a person’s genetic profile, biosensors alerting the patient and carers to changes, 3D printing of organs, more home care and plenty more.

The amount of elective surgery done as day procedures is likely to soar, reducing demand on hospital beds.

This follows a pattern in which time spent in hospital has plunged dramatically for a variety of conditions. For instance, 30 years ago the average stay for a birth was 5.5 days, now it is 2.1 days.

However, with South Australians now living longer than ever, diseases of ageing such as dementia remain a challenge.

Advances, from vaccinations and antibiotics to public health improvements, have enhanced health but society now faces “lifestyle” diseases linked to smoking, excess drinking, poor diet and lack of exercise.

SA Health’s Chief Medical Officer and Chief Public Health Officer, Professor Paddy Phillips, right, said there was plenty of good health news but also challenges on the horizon.

“Future medicine and treatment will be more personal, based on genetic risk,” Prof Phillips said.

“We’ll have a better understanding of genetic risk and ­genomics, which will lead to more tailored treatments for individuals.

“However, South Australia still faces significant public health challenges and as a community we need to ensure that infectious diseases are under control, through effective immunisation and prevention programs, and remain vigilant to new or re-emerging infectious conditions.

“We need to continue to ­address the growing number of preventive non-communicable conditions and hospital admissions that arise from preventable risk factors such as obesity, poor nutrition, inactivity, excessive alcohol consumption and smoking.

“Climate change and the ­associated increased frequency and severity of weather events, such as floods, droughts, storms and extreme heat, will also have major direct and indirect impacts on our health and wellbeing.

“In South Australia, heat-related deaths are likely to take the highest toll, particularly with an ageing population, which is generally less tolerant to heat.”