Austin Hospital Staff Courtyard

Hospital staff work some of the longest and most demanding shifts of anyone. So when Austin Hospital set out to revamp its staff courtyard, the goal was simple: give staff a genuine retreat, both indoors and out, where they can properly switch off on their break.

Working alongside landscape architects Urban Initiatives, Bloom Box Products designed and built the furniture and planters for the outdoor half of the space. The brief called for products that looked premium, stood up to heavy daily use and asked almost nothing of the hospital's maintenance team.

To deliver that, we created specialised custom versions of two of our signature ranges, the Frederick Dining Set and the ALLO Planter, and developed a brand new joining piece designed specifically for this project.

Custom Frederick Dining Sets in Modwood

Our Frederick Dining Set is normally finished in Australian spotted gum, framed by its signature powder coated steel hoop base. For Austin Hospital, we swapped the timber tops and bench seats for Modwood, a composite timber product that needs practically no maintenance. No oiling, no re-sealing and no seasonal upkeep for the hospital's facilities team.

It might sound like a simple material swap, but getting it right took careful planning. Composite boards behave differently to hardwood, so we reworked component sizes and detailing to make sure the finished pieces met the same high-end standard as our standard Frederick range.

A brand new feature: the Frederick bench connector

The standout innovation on this project is a new triangular joining element that links multiple Frederick Benches together. Rather than a row of separate seats, the benches become one long, continuous run that snakes along the courtyard's linear path.

The result gives staff plenty of casual seating while also shaping how people move through the space. It is a feature we are excited to offer on future projects, so if you have a long pathway, plaza or forecourt in  mind, talk to us about a custom Frederick layout.

Custom ALLO Planters, Including Our Biggest Yet

The ALLO Planter range was designed from day one to be customised, and this project put that to the test. As with the Frederick sets, we replaced our usual spotted gum cladding with Modwood composite decking to keep long-term maintenance to a minimum.

Every planter was sized specifically for its location in the courtyard, with several different sizes produced to suit different zones.

The 1m cube ALLO

The largest planters measure a full 1000mm x 1000mm x 1000mm, the biggest ALLO we have ever made. Two of these cubes act as tall green barriers, dividing the courtyard into more intimate zones.

Big planters bring big challenges, so we engineered them carefully:

• Structural false bottom: reduces the planting depth, so far less soil is needed and the overall weight drops significantly.
• Designed for a tile pedestal system: the whole courtyard sits on a tile pod system with a set load limit, so every planter was designed with weight front of mind.
• Largest available pad footings: spread the load evenly across the pedestal system.
• Adjustable footings: let every planter and furniture piece be levelled on site to suit the real conditions underfoot.

If your project has a rooftop, podium or pedestal-paved area, these same details can be applied to your planters. Request a custom planter quote.

Designed In-House, Built for an Easy Install

Every piece on this project was designed in-house by the Bloom Box team. Before anything went into fabrication, we supplied detailed shop drawings for client approval, so Urban Initiatives and the hospital could review every dimension, material and connection in advance.

We also designed everything to keep installation to a minimum. The planters and furniture are simply placed and levelled using their adjustable footings. The new bench connectors attach with a few bolts and an Allen key, with no specialist trades or heavy machinery needed.

For a live hospital environment, that meant minimal disruption to staff and a quick handover of the finished space. Delivery and set up of the works was undertaken and completed by Living Landscapes, a local landscaping company.

Bring Your Next Project to Life

The Austin Hospital courtyard shows what is possible when our standard ranges become the starting point rather than the limit. Whether you need a different material, a custom size or an entirely new component, our team designs and builds it in-house in Melbourne.

• Browse the Frederick Outdoor Range and ALLO Planters
• Download our 2026 Product Catalogue
• See more of our recent projects
• Get a project quote and start designing with us

Thank you to Urban Initiatives and the Austin Hospital team for bringing us on board to create a space staff can truly enjoy.

Project Snapshot