SPH were engaged by East Metropolitan Health Service for the Bentley Midwifery Birth Centre, a comprehensive internal fitout on the second floor of Bentley Health Service. The unit delivers two birth suites, each with their own large birthing pool, a consultation room, a family room, a midwives' hub and requisite clinical support rooms.

This unit is Western Australia's first entirely endorsed midwife-led maternity service at a public hospital and builds upon SPH’s expertise with family birthing units. The design team and end-user group undertook a tour of Fiona Stanley Family Birthing Centre (completed by SPH in 2019) to begin the design process. Ongoing stakeholder collaboration was then required to develop the groundbreaking design, including the use of evidence-based research, namely the Birthing Unit Design Spatial Evaluation Tool (the BUDSET).

The BUDSET focuses on spatial design that elevates domesticity, use of colour/light/texture and natural references to create comfort for occupying mothers and their support persons. The design also needed to be highly functional for the midwives and support workers delivering this new model of care.

The design referenced local flora (eucalypt trees with its varying green canopy) and local fauna (spotted pardalote with its prominent peach breast feathers) for 2x distinctive birth room designs, with concealed medical equipment in joinery and carefully curated lighting design.  This personalised environment is designed to optimise the privacy, ease, autonomy and comfort of the mothers and support persons during birth.