Australian Health Design Conference

Turning Healthcare Inside Out

Brisbane | 4 - 7 November 2026

AHDC2026 will explore bold proposals that challenge conventional healthcare design. Healthcare is not contained within the hospital. It is a fundamental part of daily life, and healthcare spaces must be integrated into the places where people work, live and play.

Turning healthcare inside out shifts the focus to the broader systems, places and relationships that shape health over time. Social connection, movement, environment, culture and access to care all play a critical role in our health journey.

Healthcare also extends beyond individual patients. It affects carers, families and communities who support people in need, at all stages of life. Together, we will explore how healthcare infrastructure can become a vital part of thriving communities.

Stream 1: Rethinking the Footprint

Challenging the infrastructural footprint of healthcare is necessary and urgent to better support people, communities and the environment. This stream examines how infrastructure can be leaner, more flexible and more resilient, while continuing to support safety, dignity and quality of care.

What elements of care can be delivered closer to home, supporting carers and reducing pressure on acute facilities?
How can we repurpose and adapt existing buildings to extend their life, reduce waste and strengthen local health networks?
What are the minimum requirements for healthcare that is resilient and energy efficient?

Stream 2: From Interventions to Outcomes

Our health is shaped as much by social and environmental conditions as by clinical interventions. Reframing healthcare strategy to prioritise meaningful outcomes for people, families and communities requires a shift away from activity-based models of care.

This stream brings together perspectives on how we support the lifelong continuum of care, including the often unseen labour of carers and the clinical workforce. Healthcare must be proactive in preventing avoidable demand, rather than reactive in treating illness. This requires an integrated understanding of the interdependencies between health, housing, transport and social infrastructure.

How do we design environments that support health promotion, early intervention and long-term care management?
How can healthcare be better integrated into community settings and everyday life?
What kinds of social and spatial infrastructure are needed to ensure equitable access to care?

Stream 3: Health in Motion

Health is an active, lifelong process, shaped by environments that support movement, capability, mental wellbeing across ageing, disability and diverse life stages.

People are more than patients. Physical activity, community participation and social connection are critical to maintaining good health. This stream considers how design can support choice, dignity and autonomy, enabling people to remain active agents in their own health and recovery.

How can healthcare environments better support movement, independence, reablement and participation?
How can we design for disability, neurodiversity and ageing as part of a continuous health spectrum?
How can healthcare intersect with lifestyle and wellbeing, including sport, fitness, mental health and self-improvement?

Stream 4: Public Value and Collective Care

Healthcare is often undervalued as civic infrastructure, despite its central role in shaping trust, belonging and long-term public wellbeing. From the outset, community engagement, values-led leadership, co-design and strong governance can reposition healthcare environments as essential public assets with enduring civic value. This stream invites discussion on how we design social infrastructure that is equitable, inspiring, long-lasting and genuinely fit for purpose.

How do visionary briefs and engaged stakeholders shape resilient, adaptable and meaningful places?
What is the role of co-design as an ongoing relationship that builds shared culture and identity within communities?
How can healthcare design contribute to belonging, trust and equity, and carry civic value beyond its immediate function?

Submit a Presentation

EOI Closes 30 April 2026

Please check out the presentation guidelines and ensure that you address the conference themes in your submission.

Presentation Submission

Save the Date and Location

4 - 6 November 2026

Brisbane (Meanjin) QLD

Located on the traditional lands of the Turrbal and Jagera Peoples.

Partner with AHDC

AHDC is supported by our Foundation Partners. Becoming a partner provides opportunities to purchase bulk conference tickets and memberships for your team. Contact Partnerships to find out more.