Yes. The new $2.3 billion Royal Adelaide Hospital (NRAH) has been named the fourth most expensive building after the One World Trade Centre in New York ($3.9 billion), the Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest ($3 billion) and Shanghai Tower in China ($2.4 billion).
According to world architectural data company Emporis, the 800-bed hospital is well ahead of the iconic Shard in London ($1.9 billion) and Dubai’s famous Burj Khalifa at $1.5 billion.
So why the expensive price tag?
The building is being billed as Australia’s most advanced hospital, with robots used for delivering supplies, equipment and food. It’s also set a target of 50 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to other hospitals – not a cheap goal.
A long – and pricey – wait
But it’s not even open yet. The hospital was set to open its doors in April last year, but has been delayed several times after running $640 million over budget and becoming bogged down in a court battle between the South Australian Government and builders over alleged defects.
These included problems with room sizes, ceiling space, loading dock heights and water pipes that had been laid through a data equipment room.
It’s now scheduled to open in June, though it won’t be paid off by the State Government Government (that is us, the people) until 2046.
It’d better live up to the hype then.
