In the political playground that is commercial design, the health and aged-care sector has been too-often dismissed for its lack of creativity, imagination and resistance to change. Seen as the quiet, studious kid in a classroom of colourful extroverts, the sector has come under criticism for always towing the line, where its counterparts of workplace, hospitality and education revel in stepping over it.

In this issue of Indesign, the design pharmacy issue, we reject the idea that health and aged-care is all medical-only thinking and look at its blossoming relationship with evidence-based design and, most importantly, pure creativity. In so doing we unearth the people, projects and revolutionary ideas that are re-writing the future of health and aged-care.

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From ageing to ageless, the Australian design sector is repositioning the aged-care industry to better cater to the 70-going-on-40 phenomenon.
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No longer defined as the baby-boomer, this increasingly agile generation is precipitating a tidal-wave of change in retirement facility design. The result? A burgeoning ‘wellness economy’ shaped by retail, hospitality, workplace – and even precinct – design thinking. Bringing a bold and revitalised perspective to health and aged-care design is sector expert and associate director at Billard Leece Partnerships, Tonya Hinde. Tonya rejects the idea that creativity takes a back seat to science and hard facts, revealing just how healthcare design has allowed her to produce the most imaginative and rebellious work of her career.

Clashing design typologies in a new and radical way, we journey into the blended world of ‘health tourism’. It’s the luxury travel industry’s next big movement, taking the modern traveller on a transformative journey – en route to their dream destination. Here, we touch down in the ultimate ‘in-transit’ wellness facility where the modern health tourist can work, relax or play.

This issue, we invite you to ‘get’ well – to really understand and consider what this newly defined ‘health economy’ means for us, and how we can look beyond the fluorescent lights and grey linoleum to discover the vast opportunities this sector can offer us. Enjoy the issue!

Indesign Co-Editors, Sophia Watson & Alice Blackwood