Evidence Based Design

The EagleHawk Community Medical Centre has just been shortlisted for a Regional Architecture Award in this year’s AIA Victorian Chapter Awards. Peer review and recognition are just as important in practice as they are in research—helping us to locate our work in the context of internationally recognized best practice. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the AIA jury, our wonderful clients BCHS, the Eaglehawk community, all of our collaborative consultants, and fantastic builders Franklin Projects.

We are delighted to have reached Practical Completion at our new Aged Care wing in Rupanyup, West Wimmera, on the lands of the Wotjobaluk nations. We have had the pleasure of working with Nicholson Construction and the staff and residents of West Wimmera Health Services over the past year of construction. Staff training has begun and residents will begin to move in soon. As always, we are looking forward to building on our research, through ongoing post-occupancy analysis.

Emic and Etic—two beautiful words that were first introduced by the American linguist Kenneth L. Pike in 1954. Pike coined them to distinguish insider versus outsider perspectives in the study of languages and cultures, but they equally apply to the participatory design process, where outside expertise is blended with inside lived experience. This conceptual pairing consistently informs our approach to design, particularly when working with people who are living with different forms of cognitive impairment.
In this context, multiple studies have found that occupant involvement across all stages of the process—from briefing to post-occupancy analysis—produces more acceptable and adoptable environments, while also addressing equity and representation concerns.
For EBD projects, we develop flexible, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) tools for dyadic, face-to-face communication on each project. We invest the time needed to observe verbal and physical responses that result in a person-centred design outcome—one that supports instrumental activities of daily living.
On site at Rupanyup—where we are nearing completion on the new Aged Care wing for West Wimmera Health Services, with Nicholson Construction—current residents Zoltan, Arthur, and Janice were with caregivers Jo and Jojo, and Sreeja the Director of Nursing. In these photos, they are all providing final input on minor but important details at the completion of the rough-in stage.

Progress at our prototypical disability housing project for Housing Choices Australia, with Better Living Group as head contractors. Ready for bulk painting and installation of cabinetwork in the coming weeks.

Cabinetwork going in at WWHS Rupanyup New Aged Care Wing. Implicit wayfinding will be supported by natural light, with each bedroom door side panel painted a different colour. A digital display outside each room will also achieve a pattern of differentiation that assists residents living with cognitive decline to move autonomously around their new home.

Frame and surface. Multiple site visits at each stage of the design and construction process, with the future residents of our prototype Special Disability Accommodation (SDA), for Housing Choices Australia with NDIS support. Smiles all around.

Late afternoon western sun. Cool but there.

New aged care wing for WWHS @ Rupanyup. Bedrooms taking shape. Individual entry doors are illuminated by skylights, and a gentle curved corner leads inside. Large windows provide loads of natural light and encourage connection, but levels can be controlled by individual residents.

Rupanyup Aged Care wing. Shaded facade detail.

Starting up again at Rupanyup, after the summer break. Plastering almost completed, ready for painting next week. Work started on the garden on a beautiful day. External works laid in and ready for that final polish by A W Nicholson builders, and their dedicated subcontractors.

One last site visit for the year, to our new Aged Care wing at Rupanyup, in the Wimmera region, on the lands of Wotjobaluk Nations Peoples. So much horizon in that part of the world.
Thanks to West Wimmera Health Services and AWN Construction for all their hard work this year. We are glad that the works have been more entertaining than inconvenient for residents. Yesterday was a 7.5 hr return trip in 42 degC heat.
The new wing has very large bedroom windows and central skylights, providing plenty of natural light and connecting staff and residents to passing time and a sense of the world outside. We are pleased to report that yesterday, internal temperatures did not get above 23 deg C, even without AC. We love it when a plan comes together, with a bit of well laid thermal insulation. See you all next year.