Arcare Templestowe

With planning permit in place, the incumbent design puts limits on height and footprint. There were significant constraints that presented challenges in achieving the programming aspirations of our client. The design needed to unlock the space allowable and create a living precinct that would engage and enliven residents, navigating the balance of operational considerations and residents aspirations. Recognising that the experience of space extends beyond the space itself, to the sense of space and how we perceive it, meant an approach of borrowing and extending on shared spaces started to work as a method to extend the perceived space.

Human connections, emboldened spaces and an aesthetic to envelop and support residents and staff, had to be achieved in creative ways. Removing all walls and ceilings meant using the entirety of the available spaces. Right from the outset with the entrance foyer an open space, using borrowing and agility across shared spaces we were able to reallocate to the living quarters. Pushing rooflines, the form of the cathedral roof was the lynchpin to unlock this sense of expansiveness and openness. Landscaping and light flood the entrance hall, connecting to outside spaces and shared areas beyond.

At a micro level, the enabling and enlivening approach to user experience will mean an important sense of belonging for seniors and their families, encouraging a positive, healthy and mentally stimulating lifestyle. At a larger scale, this precedent helps contribute to the wider conversation about ageing in Australia and what we can come to expect in shaping a new ‘conventional’ approach that is one we can all be proud of.

Lighting throughout is designed to enhance the sense of space, and is actively controlled over the day to encourage residents to experience this natural rhythm of day and night. The feature pendant light in the foyer is a special commission to speak the same language as the geometric roof, creating layers of spaces and enriching the large volume created by the cathedral roof, whilst bringing the volume back to the human scale.