Animal Referral and Emergency Centre, Broadmeadow, NSW
Project Details
PROJECT TYPE
24 Hr Emergency Veterinary Hospital
ARCHITECT
Therian
SIZE
1000m²
DATE
2026
AREC PROJECT STORY
Inside AREC: A veterinary hospital planned around workflow, equipment
and technology
AREC’s new referral and emergency hospital was designed as one connected clinical environment, from patient movement and ICU care to equipment access and medication management.
THE PROJECT
A larger building was
only part of the answer
When the Animal Referral & Emergency Centre (AREC) outgrew its previous facility, a new hospital needed to improve patient movement, support the way clinical teams work and bring critical equipment and medication access closer to the point of care.
Therian worked with AREC from the early design stages through to equipment, patient housing, ICU technology and the expansion of its CUBEX medication management system. The result is a 1,000m2 referral and emergency hospital in Newcastle where the building and everything within it have been planned to work together.
“The structure and design of our hospital has changed our workflow, changed the dynamic and ultimately changed our culture to provide better patient care.”
~ Dr David Tabrett, AREC Managing Director
ARCHITECTURE & WORKFLOW
A hospital shaped around the way the team works
AREC’s building had a distinctive shape. Rather than treating that as a problem to work around, Therian used it to establish two clinical pathways from the main entrance.
Emergency patients are directed to one side of the hospital, while the surgical patients move through the other. The departments can operate independently while remaining closely connected. This reduces unnecessary crossover and gives each team a clearer path through the hospital.
It is a straightforward planning decision with a direct effect on the working day: fewer competing movements, better separation between functions and a layout that reflects how care is delivered.
CLINICAL FLOW
Emergency pathway: Reception ➔ Treatment ➔ ICU
Surgical pathway: Admission ➔ Surgery ➔ Recovery
Visibility that supports communication
Large internal windows and glazed openings create sightlines between reception, treatment areas and ICU. Clinical teams can see across key parts of the hospital, making it easier to stay aware of patients and colleagues without moving between rooms simply to find out what is happening.
The openness also changes the client experience. From reception, pet owners can see into parts of the clinical environment and remain connected to the care taking place beyond the front desk.
Dr Tabrett describes the visibility as one of the hospitals most useful features, improving workflow and collaboration across departments.
EQUIPMENT & PATIENT HOUSING
Equipment Planned Around
the Point of Care
Equipment was considered as part of the clinical plan, rather than selected after the rooms had been resolved. That allowed working clearances, access, services and storage to be addressed while changes could still be made on paper.
Treatment & Surgery
Treatment and surgical areas were fitted with EasyVet Mobile Exam Tables, EasyVet Ultra Low Surgery Tables, Therian Cut Away Tables, Aeolus Scrub Sinks and Nuweigh Scales. Each item was selected and positioned around the work carried out in that area, giving clinicians practical access without crowding the room or interrupting movement.
Patient Housing & Recovery
AREC’s patient housing includes Therians FlexiPRO kennels for dedicated dog runs, Therian Cat Condos and EasyVet Cages. Housing and recovery areas sit close to the relevant point of treatment, helping reduce transfers through the hospital and supporting patient care.
An ICU Designed for Critical Care
The intensive care unit brings patient housing, clinical access and environmental control together in one area. AREC was among the first veterinary hospitals in Australia to install the latest Aeolus Advanced ICU Enclosures, which provide precise control of warmth, humidity and oxygen for critically ill patients.
A substantial number of ICU enclosures and recovery runs allow the team to care for patients of different sizes, including larger dogs following surgery. The layout keeps patients close to the people and equipment involved in their care while supporting the capacity required by a busy referral hospital.
The value is not in the enclosure alone. It comes from planning the room, patient movement, services and equipment as a complete critical-care environment.
EQUIPMENT & PATIENT HOUSING
CUBEX Where Clinicians Need It
AREC already used CUBEX for medication management. As part of the new hospital, Therian expanded the system with additional Tower cabinets, a Flex 1000 cabinet and QLock stations across ICU, pharmacy and surgery.
Placing secure medication access within key clinical areas reduces the need for staff to leave their department to collect commonly used items. It also supports controlled access, medication accountability and automated inventory management across the hospital.
CUBEX requirements were considered alongside the physical environment, including location, access, cabinetry, power and data. That is easier to resolve during planning than after walls, services and workflows have already been fixed.
One hospital, planned as a connected system
AREC shows what can happen when the floor plan, clinical workflow, equipment, patient housing and medication are addressed together.
The building provides the framework. Equipment supports the work carried out within each space. CUBEX helps control medication access and inventory across key departments. None of these decisions sis in isolation, and each is easier to resolve when the right questions are asked early.
This is where Therian’s veterinary focus matters. Our team understands patient flow, infection control, staff movement, equipment clearances, services, housing and the day-to-day demands placed on a veterinary facility.
CONCEPT DESIGN
Start with a clearer plan
A project does not need to be the size of AREC to benefit from early veterinary-specific planning. The same thinking applies to a new practice, an expansion, a refurbishment or a significant equipment upgrade.
Therian’s Concept Design service helps practices establish what they need and how the space should work before they approach builders or commit to detailed design. The process an include:
- A detailed needs assessment
- Clinical workflow and patient-flow planning
- Room relationships and early layouts
- Equipment, patient housing and CUBEX requirements
- Architectural renders and clear project documentation
- Quantity Surveyor estimated costs to provide an early view of likely investment
The outcome is a practical foundation for briefing builders, seeking independent pricing and making informed decisions before construction begins. It also allows equipment and technology requirements to be designed into the project while there is still time to accommodate them properly.
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