Built by Higgs Construction towards the end of 2024, the official opening of Plus Architecture’s Rānui Apartments was marked on 30^th May, 2025. The $18.9 million project offers 43 self-contained apartments, 500 metres from Christchurch Hospital and opposite South Hagley Park, housing patients and their families travelling to Christchurch for life-saving treatment. Since opening, Rānui Apartments have provided 3,995 nights of accommodation serving 590 families.

The strategic location has nearly tripled the Trust’s capacity, making Rānui the largest provider of patient accommodation in the South Island and the only provider that supports patients and families or any age and any treatment type.

“When we design healthcare spaces, we understand that we are creating environments that will tangibly impact patient recovery,” says Plus Architecture director, Matthew Charles. “At Rānui we have gone well beyond standard requirements, to create truly accessible, comfortable and calming spaces for these families. This building means so much to all of us at Plus – seeing families able to stay together during treatment, in a space designed specifically for their needs, exemplifies what the very best of architecture can be.”

Working within Higgs Construction’s design-build contract, Plus Architecture’s brief from the Trust was to create fully self-contained apartments, communal spaces, gardens, parking and administrative areas while ensuring the spaces felt generous and supportive – and all within a tight budget. For the past nine years the Bone Marrow Cancer Trust, Plus Architecture and Higgs Construction have worked together through a design-build partnership to realise this vision as an extension of the work begun at the 26-bed Rānui House in 1993, when the original House opened in Cambridge Terrace.

The modular approach comrpises three apartment types repeated throughout, maximising efficiency. The four-storey, L-shaped building uses precast concrete complemented by timber fins and pale blue facades – the colour selected for its capacity to provide calm, reduce stress and support wellbeing. The apartments feature a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units, along with studio rooms. The flexible design allows for multiple room configurations to accommodate various family sizes and needs.

Mandy Kennedy, CEO of Bone Marrow Cancer Trust concludes: “This facility transforms the treatment experience for patients and their families. Rānui Apartments provides a purpose-built environment that addresses their specific needs during treatment. Plus Architecture has truly understood our requirements, delivering spaces that work practically for diverse family groups while creating an environment that genuinely supports the healing process.”

Plus Architecture
plusarchitecture.com.au