Aged care reimagined through vertical living

A new integrated vertical retirement living and aged care development has been established in the Brisbane suburb of Newstead.

The 16-storey and 21-storey dual tower was developed by Architectus Conrad Gargett for Ozcare and provides a continuum of care within one location. This includes retirement living within Rendu Towers, as well as aged care and specialist dementia support in Villa Rosalie — offering a diversity of choices for residents to adjust the level of care and support they require to optimise their later years.

Spanning a 6180 m² block, the development features a café, retail tenancies and commercial office spaces along with a large integrated public park — a key design move to connect with the adjacent Waterfront Park and draw the community into the development.

Architectus Conrad Gargett Associate Principal Dr YE Ng said, “Community and conviviality are vital for this project. The architecture and landscape respond to the site context, extending and connecting with Waterfront Park. This integration creates opportunities for both active and passive engagement on the ground and above ground for residents with diverse physical abilities. Research has shown this engagement is very important for wellbeing across all ages.”

With four street frontages, the ‘island’ site enables expansive river and city views to be maximised from both towers and allows for separate entrances for retirement living and aged care. The ground plane includes a colonnade on three street fronts, designed to unite the communities of the two towers and form a seamless connection to Newstead’s vibrant neighbourhood.

The development comes at a time when senior living and aged care is high on the agenda, with the Australian Government’s 2023 Intergenerational Report indicating a staggering threefold increase in people aged over 85 in the next four decades.

“People who live in the city, want to stay in the city — this development caters to a growing demographic of seniors that want to stay connected to their community and families. They want to enjoy all the benefits of an urban lifestyle while knowing they have access to the best support and care as they age,” said John Flynn, Principal at Architectus Conrad Gargett.

Rendu Towers.

Rendu Towers

Vertical retirement village Rendu Towers comprises a total of 135 residences, including 11 Sky Homes and three Sky Pavilions. A range of communal facilities across an interconnecting level unites the community of retirees, with Club Rendu featuring a heated swimming pool, club lounge, private dining room, library, cinema, chapel and wellness centre.

Designed to embrace Brisbane’s subtropical climate and lifestyle, Rendu Towers features expansive liveable balconies and extensive landscaped terraces, providing residents with year-round access to the outdoors.

Villa Rosalie

This 120-bed residential aged care facility spans three floors and includes an entire level dedicated to residents living with dementia. The facility is designed to feel homely and familiar, with clinical support areas concealed. Level 4 features two large, landscaped terraces, offering a vital connection to the outdoors. A high proportion of aged care rooms have private balconies with expansive river views, providing residents with additional accommodation choices.

“Through careful consideration of landscaping, terraces and screenings, we have created a light and airy indoor/outdoor home environment,” Ng said.

“It’s very important to create a home-like environment even if you have a memory impairment. Residents can have access to outdoors and enjoy the garden and are free to continue their daily lifestyle just like at home.”

Villa Rosalie also features a hair salon and day spa, large function and activity rooms, chapel, cinema, and multiple lounge spaces for residents and visiting family members to utilise. The individual rooms incorporate a natural material palette and have home-like features including refrigerators, offering a level of independence and personalisation to help residents feel at home.

Top image caption: Villa Rosalie. All images ©Christopher Frederick Jones.