SwanCare Retirement Village Leisure Centre Precinct

iredale pedersen hook architects

Short description

The New SwanCare Leisure Precinct aims to improve the health and wellbeing of residents by reducing isolation, encouraging safe movement and socialisation and to welcome friends, family and the surrounding community.

We challenged the previous master plan by removing vehicles and roads from the central spaces, replacing this with a wide, straight and clear pedestrian boulevard. The boulevard extends from the primary SwanCare entry street (Adie Court) to the new Leisure Precinct and continues to the aged care facilities beyond.

A meandering path intersects with the boulevard to allow for slower paced wandering, these pathways allow for Dementia safe movement.

Along the boulevard a constellation of sensory pavilions allow occupants and visitors to socialise, the Pavilion of Light (focuses light and shadow identifying significant days, ANZAC Day, SwanCare Foundation day) and the Pavilion of Sound (focuses the sound of water and of each other) increase awareness of senses and each other.

Sensory design manifests continually, material selections were based on tactility of touch, smell and colour. Materials were introduced to weather over variable time, in a retirement environment time awareness has significant mental and health benefits.

All buildings create open and engaging interfaces with the boulevard, new pathways and gardens; terraces extend from buildings to form meeting and performance spaces both formal and informal.
Buildings and verandahs allow for a variety of events, spaces are flexible and booked by residents and their families in inclusive and engaging environments.

A recent visit included residents openly discussing how these facilities ‘have changed their life”. They discussed feeling part of SwanCare but also one that engages with society. Families now visit, residents casually socialise and university students run health and fitness programs researching behaviour and outcomes.