19 September 2008

Breathing Aged Care

A new aged-care facility in Geelong, Victoria, moves away from the institution to create homes that breathe.

The Woodhead-designed St Vincent de Paul age-care facility in Geelong, Victoria, is designed to be less institutional, using a domestic-style layout, and creating a 'breathing' building.

"The development was designed with the residents' needs and operational efficiency in mind," says aged-care design specialist, Derek Pitt - Woodhead Melbourne Principal.

The project comprises four buildings - an admin building surrounded by three accommodation buildings - and includes off-street parking and landscaping.

Considering the needs of the elderly residents, the project has been developed to take full advantage of sunlight and natural airflow, and includes covered walkways linking buildings.

Hydronic heating, ceiling fans and evaporative cooling are combined with planting, and land and water features to control internal conditions.

"These features not only make the development more environmentally sustainable but also create a healthy and calming environment for residents in buildings that breathe due to clever strategies to make the buildings light and airy in the warmer months and warm and comfortable in colder months," Pitt says.

woodhead.com.au