3 - vision waitakere gardens retirement village Henderson, Auckland
Winner of the Property Council of NZ Excellence Award 2002. (Vision Senior Living Ltd)
Industry recognition and reference –‘Good Solutions Guide to Apartments –published 2007. (refer www.northshorecity.govt.nz/your_neighbourhood/Urban-Design/Design-guidelines )
Located in the heart of Henderson –Waitakere City, a lower socio-economic area in Auckland, the project was conceived in 1997 of 300 apartments –now grown to 360 apartments making it currently one of the biggest retirement villages in NZ.
BRIEF: VSL’s first foray into retirement industry, maximise site development, staged master planning, integrated as part of the wider community/urban context.
SOLUTION: Being at the heart of Henderson, high density was important –recognised as the first multilevel retirement village in NZ, and developing the philosophy of ‘communities in communities’, where people are at the heart that the architecture supports. 4-6 level apartment buildings, underground carparking to maximise open landscaped spaces, the apartments are focussed around internal Atriums and landscaped grounds.
The Design Concept was that all apartments must offer the residents the ability to be part of the internal community as well as the wider community, therefore an internal and external focus. The Atrium doubles as a ‘4-storied internal street’, with café, activities areas opening out as well as being the heart of many activities. It encourages interaction directly or visually from the walkways above, always full of life and vitality.
The Common Amenities of Café/Restaurant, Library, pool and fitness,etc are at the City end of the site, offering further visual and social connections to the wider environment and community of which they are an important part.
Other successes have come from:
-the ‘blokes-shed’ –a workshop that has grown 3 times to meet the men’s practical and social needs and now boasts one of the best equipped workshops in Auckland where quality tools and equipment are ‘pooled’ rather than sold off and a new shared creative existence emerges. The -activities/handcraft studio, where again, the tools from home are shared –weaving, spinning, pottery, painting, sewing are a central feature, along with the usual crafts, games etc –all at the heart of the community.
-nursery where plants are propagated, seedlings nurtured, and the big vegetable garden is tended. All gardens are now supplied from this resident’s setup.
The Architecture and buildings are the ‘backdrop’ to allowing people to feel fulfilled –‘….to bring out the best’
*Project undertaken by Peter Eising as Director of Architects Patterson
Back to retirement
Winner of the Property Council of NZ Excellence Award 2002. (Vision Senior Living Ltd)
Industry recognition and reference –‘Good Solutions Guide to Apartments –published 2007. (refer www.northshorecity.govt.nz/your_neighbourhood/Urban-Design/Design-guidelines )
Located in the heart of Henderson –Waitakere City, a lower socio-economic area in Auckland, the project was conceived in 1997 of 300 apartments –now grown to 360 apartments making it currently one of the biggest retirement villages in NZ.
BRIEF: VSL’s first foray into retirement industry, maximise site development, staged master planning, integrated as part of the wider community/urban context.
SOLUTION: Being at the heart of Henderson, high density was important –recognised as the first multilevel retirement village in NZ, and developing the philosophy of ‘communities in communities’, where people are at the heart that the architecture supports. 4-6 level apartment buildings, underground carparking to maximise open landscaped spaces, the apartments are focussed around internal Atriums and landscaped grounds.
The Design Concept was that all apartments must offer the residents the ability to be part of the internal community as well as the wider community, therefore an internal and external focus. The Atrium doubles as a ‘4-storied internal street’, with café, activities areas opening out as well as being the heart of many activities. It encourages interaction directly or visually from the walkways above, always full of life and vitality.
The Common Amenities of Café/Restaurant, Library, pool and fitness,etc are at the City end of the site, offering further visual and social connections to the wider environment and community of which they are an important part.
Other successes have come from:
-the ‘blokes-shed’ –a workshop that has grown 3 times to meet the men’s practical and social needs and now boasts one of the best equipped workshops in Auckland where quality tools and equipment are ‘pooled’ rather than sold off and a new shared creative existence emerges. The -activities/handcraft studio, where again, the tools from home are shared –weaving, spinning, pottery, painting, sewing are a central feature, along with the usual crafts, games etc –all at the heart of the community.
-nursery where plants are propagated, seedlings nurtured, and the big vegetable garden is tended. All gardens are now supplied from this resident’s setup.
The Architecture and buildings are the ‘backdrop’ to allowing people to feel fulfilled –‘….to bring out the best’
*Project undertaken by Peter Eising as Director of Architects Patterson
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Back to retirement
