Integrated village design preempts need for ‘whole of ageing’ residential accommodation. Joshua McAlister, a Director of CHT Architects, said that older retirement villages are increasingly being assessed as “not matching the expectations of new customers”. “We are finding that many new retirement-living customers perceive the older villages as being dated and not matching the aspirations of the design savvy residents who are looking for something contemporary,” Joshua said.
The CHT Architects design for The Orchards – a residential retirement community that incorporates an on-site aged care facility – reflects a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety by offering a ‘whole of ageing’ option for older Australians.
By incorporating a residential aged care facility into modern retirement community, the Templestowe development preempted the Royal Commission’s call for a major reengineering of accommodation and care for older people, to concentrate on the last 10 to 15 years of life.