North TerraceHeritage

McEwin block joins six heritage old hospital buildings fronting Lot Fourteen innovation precinct, Adelaide city

McEwin block joins six heritage old hospital buildings fronting Lot Fourteen innovation precinct, Adelaide city
The six historic and state-heritage-listed former Royal Adelaide Hospital buildings giving a North Terrace, Adelaide city, frontage to the Lot Fourteen innovation precinct concept (from right) the Bice building, McEwin building, Sheridan building (in front), allied service building, outpatients/women's health centre building and Maragret Graham nurses' home.
Image courtesy Renewal SA

The McEwin operating theatre block opened in 1946, was the last of South Australian state-heritage-listed original Royal Adelaide Hospital buildings to became the North Terrace frontage for the 21st Century Lot Fourteen innovation precinct on North Terrace east, Adelaide city. 

An operating theatre for the hospital was part of the 1922 list of required buildings but it wasn’t until 1939 that formal plans were prepared. Before its construction, there were only two inadequate general operating theatres at the hospital, with a large backlog of operations. World War II intervened and the building wasn't ready until 1946.

Named after state government health minister Alexander Lyell McEwin, the building was described as the most important landmark in the hospital's history. The McEwin Building was equipped with nine operating wards for general and for special purposes, as well as wards for medical and surgical cases. It was described at least equal to anything of its kind in Australia. But other buildings at the hospital were criticised as a step back in time. In 1964 additions were made to McEwin to provide accommodation for the pulmonary function unit and additional space for the transfusion service.

As part of the Lot Fourteen innovation precinct, the McEwin building had $30 million refurbishment in 2018 to provide 300 workspaces across four levels for entrepreneurs and global businesses in the fast-growing industries and clusters of defence and space technologies. JPE Desgin Studio was architect for the work carried out by Hansen Yuncken.

The refurbishment of the McEwin Building added to the modernising of six heritage and historic Royal Adelaide Hospital buildings to be used by Lot Fourteen activities. The six buildings had a cohesive design aesthetic originating with the design for the former Margaret Graham nurses' home completed in 1911. The essence of this style was further elaborated in the Bice Building (completed 1927) and repeated in later buildings in the North Terrace group, including the outpatients building/women's health centre and allied health services building (both completed in 1935) and the McEwin building (1946).

These four finely-detailed multi-storey buildings were complemented by the simplified tempietto (temple-like) form of the small central Sheridan Building (1925).

Other related ADELAIDE AZ articles

A feature of the recreated Her Majesty's (formerly Tivoli) Theatre in Grote Street, Adelaide city, after it was stripped back to its facade and east wall (topright) was the use of South Australian traditional skills for its bold balconies, pressed metal ceiling and architraves, paying homage to its Edwardian-era origins.
Theatre >
Her Majesty's Theatre in Adelaide city recreated in 2020 in luxurious glory style of its Tivoli circuit 1913 origins
READ MORE+
The vision for St Peter's Cathedral in North Adelaide was adapted in Adelaide by architect Edward John Woods.
Churches >
Henry Butterfield's high Victorian gothic St Peter's Cathedral gets E. John Woods' French ideas, Adelaide's stone
READ MORE+
The D. And J. Fowler's Lion factory on North Terrace, Adelaide, placed on the South Australian state heritage list in 1984, became a live music venue in the 2st Century.
North Terrace >
Brick facade of Lion factory (1906) elegantly reflects heights of South Australian giant grocer D. & J. Fowler
READ MORE+
The Adelaide city headquarters of G.&R. Wills and Co.. The classical North Terrace warehouse frontage, designed by architect Daniel Garlick, survived into the 21st Century with a 33-storey student accommodation tower above it.
North Terrace >
Classical frontage of warehouse on North Terrace, Adelaide city, last reminder of big G.&.R. Wills business
READ MORE+
The six historic and state-heritage-listed former Royal Adelaide Hospital buildings giving a North Terrace, Adelaide city, frontage to the Lot Fourteen innovation precinct concept.
North Terrace >
McEwin block joins six heritage old hospital buildings fronting Lot Fourteen innovation precinct, Adelaide city
READ MORE+
The sturt tillite rock formation found by South Australian geologist Walter Howchin (right) in what became Sturt Gorge Recreation Park was recognised as highly significant for understanding the worldwide Precambrian glacial period.
Nature >
Sturt Gorge in southern suburbs of Adelaide globally significant for glacial rock found by Walter Howchin in 1900
READ MORE+

 

 
©2025 Adelaide AZ | Privacy | Terms & Disclaimer | PWA 1.1.58