Parkview, Wheller Gardens

Parkview is an aged care facility home to 144 high care residents in Brisbane, Australia. Since Parkview was completed in July 2010, it has “re-defined institutional style aged care through sensitive and well considered design. Based around landscaped courtyards, the articulated corridors and rooms capture views, breezes and light, creating a feeling of warmth for its residents. Thoughtful details create a sense of home while welcoming in the broader community”, Malcolm Middleton – Australian Institute of Architects

The design of Parkview was a response to develop a high care residential built environment that facilities a model of care and support for high care residents to promote a well-being focus. Parkview incorporates careful choices of materials to suit its surrounding urban context whilst being conscious of scale due to limited available land and its multi-storey design. The layout was designed to create flexibility for future development as well as addressing core elements such as resident isolation by removing dead-end hallways and creating recreational spaces to stimulate community integration by incorporating retail space and a therapy centre.

Innovations seen in Parkview include its wholesome response to the 10 Principles of the ‘Eden Alternative’, renown for removing institutional, hospital-like ‘cues’ by reinforcing a residential focus. Internally, Parkview has simple colour schemes so to encourage residents to decorate their rooms as if they were at home. Each ‘module’ of apartments is called a ‘community’ rather than a ‘ward’ and named after local landmarks such as ‘Glasshouse Mountains’. These communities feature their own theming with unique colourful artwork, use of local timber species throughout and identity which creates a sense of place.

Parkview is not so much a building, but a community flowing with the joy of life. Its purpose is to be filled with residents living well and with integrity, respect, empowerment, hope, justice, compassion, and innovation.

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For more information, please visit the Wesley Mission Brisbane website.