Willowvale Residence

Gold Coast Hinterland

Ageing in Place

Living with Parkinson's Disease

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About

The site is a seven hectare remnant of farmland, long since gone. A thickly treed creek runs alongside, with a grassed valley to the west. With three grown children & 10 grandchildren coming & going, a flexible home was required.

 

Resolution

Objectives were established to understand & retain imbued meanings & experiences of the landscape from the clients' previous family home, since removed from the site. An L-shaped plan was developed, housing client amenities & living spaces in one wing, with extended family amenities in the second wing.

 

Design for Enablement & Joy

Through design & detailing, this home  provided for the immediate physical & mental health needs of a client with late-stage Parkinson’s Disease. The leading objective was to enable & delight. Due to treatments, the client had lost short-term memory. Spaces were arranged to elicit long term memories through views to trees he'd planted, his childhood home, & other items.

 

Sustainability

All fresh water provision & waste water reticulation is, by necessity, handled on site. Passive means of environmental control were also employed through correct orientation, insulation, shading, & facilitation of cross ventilation.

 

Outcome

Our client enjoyed several extended years of quality family life before moving to an aged care environment when it became impossible to source appropriate home care. He passed away in early 2014. It was a poignant & special life experience to have been involved at such an intimate level in shaping his environment to be the best it could be for him & his family. 

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This project was the catalyst for our determination to design enabling & delightful living environments regardless of the level of cognitive &/or physical needs of end users. This project precipitated our ethos, 'Lead with living, follow with care'. 

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Traditional owners of the land

We pay respect to the Yugambeh people who have lived in this area  & on whose land this house was built & the area of Willowvale established. Willowvale was formerly part of the area known as Pimpama, The name Pimpama is reportedly derived from Bundjalung language (Yugumbir dialect), pim pim ba or bim bim ba, meaning place of soldier (mickey) birds