Catholic Healthcare
Catholic Healthcare is one of Australia’s biggest not-for-profit providers in residential aged care, home care, retirement living villages and healthcare.
About
Located across the east coast of Australia, the company’s mission in “promoting life in all its fullness by providing aged, health and community services” is heavily inspired by the Catholic tradition.
A large organisation like Catholic Healthcare often has multiple teams working independently across different states. Project involvement has taken place both in Brisbane and in Sydney with different stakeholders and different scenarios. In both occasions, the project approach remained the same – providing considered homes for Australian seniors that encompass the breadth of Catholic Healthcare’s vision and dedication.
Villa Maria Centre
Established by the Sisters of Perpetual Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Villa Maria was constructed in four stages between 1927 and 1968.
To those who called it home, its elevated position in Fortitude Valley treated them to expansive views across Brisbane. But by the turn of the century, the building was in need of a major overhaul.
“I have found great friendship, love and belonging as a resident of Villa Maria. Outside these walls are all sorts of noises in the busy world, but I am blessed to have my special peaceful space here.”
Watch the video here.
Transforming a tired five-storey brick building into a new home for over a hundred people required inventive planning. The facade is heritage listed, adding to the complexity on site, yet allowing the opportunity of integrating the history of the building into the new facility.
Staged over three years, the redevelopment of Villa Maria is once again a lively facility. Residents are accommodated in wings containing no more than 20 rooms, and facilities include a library, hairdressing salon, outdoor terraces and the refurbished chapel, capable of holding 350 people in weekly Catholic Mass.
The Brighton
Located in Croydon in Sydney’s inner west, The Brighton introduces seniors living at a reasonable price into a traditional inner suburban setting.
A site with significant size and prior community use, the 101 units are located across five separate buildings, ranging in height from two to six storeys. Careful use of a varied scale and detail enables a successful integration of the development into its established suburban surroundings.
Arranged to form a large central courtyard, the outdoor common areas are designed to allow residents to spend time with family and friends. The Community Centre is the hub of village life, where residents enjoy the plunge pool, cinema and the barbeque area that spills out onto peaceful waterways and landscaped gardens. Dining rooms with terraces for entertaining overlooks this courtyard and pond.
Each building embodies warm décor, stylish furnishings and abundant natural light. The community centre contains a small cinema, hair salon & treatment room, function centre, arts and crafts workshop, medical consulting suite, heated swimming pool, a library, and an intimate quiet space and activities area.
