The starting point for this project began with an observation: for many residents, these homes are their entire world. Staff shared with us that residents often get dressed up as if going to the shops when they visit the hairdresser inside the facility.  

We looked at the urban design of small Catholic villages – the public square, the main street, the church at one end – and used that as the organising principle. All of the communal amenities – the café, hairdresser, reception, admin – are arranged along an internal street. At one end, an outdoor terrace faces the park, like a small public square. At the other, the chapel, with a soaring roof rising to a clerestory of golden-coloured glass that brings warm light into the space. 

Working with a triangular site, the building faces an oval to the south, adjacent to a large church, with a busy road to the north and a significant fall in the land from road to park. The building is clad in sandstone-coloured brick, with a dramatic roofscape that folds to express the guttering and water spouts. 

The residential units are organised in clusters, each wrapped around their own communal dining and living spaces, amenities and admin. These clusters sit along the central street, and the arrangement means navigation is clear. You always know where you are, which is a response to the disorienting layouts common in older aged care facilities. Every residential unit also faces outward with a framed view of the park or trees, while breaks cut between the clusters bring views of the park to the shared living spaces as well.  

At the entrance, a series of established gum trees presented both a constraint and an opportunity. Rather than removing them, a gently curving entrance ramp winds through the canopy.  

As most people arrive by car, we gave the arrival experience by car as much thought as the pedestrian one.the lower ground car park is designed as a naturally ventilated space with views out to the park before entering a lobby.  

Kitchen, staff quarters and back of house sit on the lower ground floor. The staff common room and amenities have their own private garden and access to natural light. 

Surrounding the memory support unit on the lower ground floor is what we call a ‘garden of memory’ in collaboration with Openwork. The planting includes, jade plants, Australian native species and a Hills Hoist.  

The palliative care wing has its own private outdoor garden – a series of enclosed arbours creating small, sheltered rooms where families can gather with loved ones.