The Bays Hospital Group is a not-for-profit healthcare organisation, which was founded 80 years ago as a local bush hospital. Operating within an ageing and inefficient building, The Bays approached us as a design partner to assist them in creating a new premium aged care offering, catering to a growing local community of seniors.

The planning seeks to create a strong sense of community, maximising resident engagement with external areas and courtyards, and providing a lively resident main street that flows through the facility, connecting with each of the resident clusters.

Resident health and wellness has been prioritised, with dedicated spaces provided for movement and social activities, as well as community consulting suites and a dialysis facility.

The Bays Aged Care is an entirely community-focused model that serves as an anchor for the local school and church, activating the range of facilities to provide increased activity and interaction.

The new double-story, 120-bed aged care facility provides access to a wider range of living choices that cater to both individual seniors and couples. Most importantly, it provides a premium service that does not currently exist in this area, reducing the distance people need to travel for care or allowing them to stay in the same area as part of their community.

Located in suburban Hastings, an area characterised by post-war era housing, the design aims to provide uplift to the local character, demonstrating how good design is positively correlated to quality of life.