A thoughtful response for retirement living, the design steers clear of the ‘dull’ and instead creates a progressive, village-like atmosphere, using a material palette that includes timber, stone, lightweight cladding and Colorbond sheeting, adhering to strong ecologically responsible design principles.
IN BRIEF
Create a new retirement village which is place and site responsive, providing a village environment that integrates with the local Maleny community. Use a material palette that relates to the place and the rural vernacular.
ARCHITECT’S WORDS
Planning for the first stage included 24, two and three bedroom detached villas and duplexes arranged in groups or hamlets as well as a new central community centre or “lodge”.
By reducing the building site coverage and gross floor area, more landscaping and space between buildings was provided.
The mostly detached dwellings are single storey to cater for long term accessibility for residents and offer a number of ‘smart’ housing features. Some of these include flexible open plan living, lower light switches, wide doorways, eliminating passageways, no steps between floor finishes or at external door thresholds, lever tapware and door hardware and adaptable bathrooms.
The buildings are orientated so as to maximise opportunities for picturesque hinterland views, natural lighting and ventilation, whilst being offset from each other to ensure privacy and aspect is retained.
The kitchen area has a window to the ‘street’ for surveillance, while the outdoor living space opens to the more private garden spine. The roof options include scissor truss and skillion, allowing for both variety and high ‘lofty’ ceilings in both versions with high than the 2400mm ceilings usually on offer for retirement living.
Further environmentally sustainable design initiatives include the use of compact fluorescent lamps to maximise efficiency, energy efficient equipment (best rating economically and locally available), rainwater tanks, recycled and low embodied energy materials and low maintenance plants and trees that are native to the area.
ACCOLADES
- AIA Sunshine Coast Awards, House of the Year 2011
- AIA Sunshine Coast Awards, Residential Architecture - Multiple Housing (commendation) 2011
The judges said:
“Overall site planning, orientation and built form is responsive to the rural town setting and the target market of retirees from larger properties by conveying spaciousness as well as a residential scale. Building forms are enhanced by well scaled, contemporary external treatments, materials and detailing.
"Clerestory roof treatments with scissor truss and raking ceilings admit light into the centre of each house allowing the spaces to present as generous single storey volumes.
"The selection of internal materials and sustainability principles evokes high quality whilst not being lavish. There is an overall feeling of comfortable community engagement for aging in place village residents.”
PRODUCTS
EXTERIOR PAINT
BLUESCOPE STEEL, COLORBOND ROOF XRW FINISH 'DUNE'
EAVES AND GUTTER
STRATCO AUSTRALIA, HALF ROUND
BLUESCOPE STEEL, COLORBOND 'SHALE GREY'
EXPOSED ROOF BATTENS
AUSTRALIAN HARDWOOD PAINT FINISH
INTERIOR CURTAINS & BLINDS
CACOA DESIGN BLINDS AND SHUTTERS
TOILET SUITE
CAROMA
BASIN
WESLEY INTEGRATED TRAP WALL BASIN
SHOWER GRAB RAILS AND SHOWER HEAD
SOLID BRASS WALL OUTLET ELBOW WITH 9 L/MIN FLOW CONTROL DUAL CHECK SHOWER
