NJA Book 2024 Soft Copy - Flipbook - Page 40
Punchbowl Aged Care
The COVID-19 pandemic caused many to
rethink the way aged care is delivered in
Australia. This concern was born out by a Royal
Commission which saw almost 30 design-led
changes to way aged care is provided. One, if
not the first, to be built was by Deicorp which
commissioned Nordon Jago Architects to
create a new aged care facility in Punchbowl,
17 kilometres west of Sydney.
Created for the Antiochian Orthodox
Archdiocese, St Nicholas Church, which
had been acquiring adjacent land next to its
church for a number of years, it was opened
to great fanfare by NSW government officials
in July, 2023. Unlike the many institutionalstyle aged care facilities that were regularly
featured on news stations during COVID-19,
the Punchbowl facility has a homely feel in the
80-bedroom accommodation. And rather than
dominating the streetscape, it sits comfortably
within it – partially as a result of the slope of the terrain which allowed for three levels in an eight-metre height limit.
Given the width of the site, approximately 100 metres, Nordon Jago Architects was keen to create a ‘rhythm’ to the street. Appearing as a series of
townhouses, the façade features a variety of materials and forms. Different coloured bricks, both light and dark and print-boarded in situ concrete
and aluminium battens provide for considerably greater animation and interest than a uniformly treated blank façade. For the architects, as well
as the interior designers, TSD, the objective from the outset was to create well-considered spaces that felt comfortable for both the residents as
well as families and friends visiting. At front of house is a large café that connects to a protected outdoor terrace (due to its western orientation).
And rather than opting for one large living and dining area for residents, here there are eight different arrangements, located on different levels
and offering different experiences. Some lead to private courtyard-style gardens while others, such as the top level, benefit from a large adjacent
terrace with views of the neighbourhood. A number of the large established trees were also retained on the site to reduce overlooking from
neighbours while at the same time providing a verdant and lush environment.
The Punchbowl aged care is also endowed with state-of-the art facilities, including a commercial kitchen finished entirely in hygienic stainless
steel, a large commercial laundry, a hair salon and a large theatrette. There’s also a craft room and smaller nooks for family to catch up in all of the
communal and private spaces, there’s strong emphasis on natural light, a connection to the outdoors through biophilic design, such as the large
picture windows, and importantly, cross ventilation. The designers used soft and subtle tones and materials throughout, including a large dose of
pale built-in joinery, with built-in window seats in some of the bedrooms. The larger two-bedrooms suites are as light and airy with raked ceilings,
large picture windows and crisp interiors. As important was the delivery of the outdoor spaces with large terraced areas, raised garden beds and
pergolas to diffuse the afternoon light. Given the importance of natural light, there was consideration from the outset of the design to orientate as
many windows as possible to the north.
