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Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination. Fitzroy Crossing Renal Hostel in Australia by iredale pedersen hook architectsMay 26th, 2019 by Sumit Singhal
Article source: iredale pedersen hook architects The purpose of this facility is to provide a place to live for Aboriginal people with “end stage Renal Disease”- allowing them to stay close to their family and community while receiving Hemodialysis for 2.5-4.5 hours, 3 times a week. It is expected that most people will only live for about 3 years making this facility a type of palliative care facility- but without the formal medical spaces. Prior to the establishment of this accommodation facility and the associated “Renal Chairs” in the nearby Hospital, people had the choice of moving to 2,500 km Perth – and thus being separated from their family and community or simply staying at their community and dying. Sadly, the trauma of being separated from their kin led many to choose the stay and die option.  Image Courtesy © Peter Bennetts
 Image Courtesy © Peter Bennetts
 Image Courtesy © Peter Bennetts  Image Courtesy © Peter Bennetts The facility consists of 13 rooms for residents, distributed over 6 small “houses” accommodating 19 people. Each room is a 1 or 2 bedroom space, with a wheelchair accessible ensuite, tea preparation bench and insect screened verandah. The residents’ meals and cleaning of linen are performed by the facility staff in the communal amenity building. The houses are provided with a front porch that allows for public engagement, and the rear verandah provides a more private area, that is secured from insects and intruders at night.  Image Courtesy © Peter Bennetts  Image Courtesy © Peter Bennetts The residents will be from outlying communities and will be able to look after themselves in all other ways- ie. they would not qualify as Aged Care Residents. The site has been planned to reflect the 4 major language groups in town; with the site planning, paths and landscape species selection referencing “bush tucker”, medicine and iconic plants from their homelands.  Image Courtesy © Peter Bennetts  Image Courtesy © Peter Bennetts The distribution of the houses maximises the space between the dwellings and responds to the idea of “Cultural Surveillance”- the need for Aboriginal people to observe the movement of people and animals through the landscape. Other Culturally sustainable design features include: multiple paths of travel to support “avoidance” relationships, view corridors into the landscape, language specific landscape species selection, support for outdoor cooking and fire use, and addressing mortuary practices.  Image Courtesy © Peter Bennetts  Image Courtesy © Peter Bennetts The spaces between the houses allow people from differing language groups to find their own external spaces under trees – responding to the request to provide separate spaces for people from different language groups. The amenity building partially screens the houses from the main street providing access control, kitchen, staff and community laundry facilities, communal dining and activity spaces, offices and meeting rooms, and 2 staff accommodation units.  Image Courtesy © Peter Bennetts  Image Courtesy © Peter Bennetts The amenity building is broken into 2 pavilions, separated by a breezeway space that functions as a “welcome space” and secondary activity area. Aboriginal people in this region have expressed a strong desire for outdoor living- thus the core internal spaces support the outdoor, verandah based activity areas, which in turn support the external zones where the lighting of fires for gatherings or cooking bush meats can occur.  Image Courtesy © Peter Bennetts  Image Courtesy © Peter Bennetts Many of these residents are Elders in the community and our client group required a place of dignity that people could come and interact with their family members. Due to the nature of the Renal disease they have very low energy levels and their need to dialyse regularly, the residents capacity for trips back to their community and homelands is limited- hence the need for the centre to welcome visitors.  Image Courtesy © Peter Bennetts  Image Courtesy © Peter Bennetts Materiality Due to the remote location and limited access to skilled trades for construction and maintenance the regional construction type is concrete slab on ground, with steel frames, Colorbond Steel and painted fibre cement cladding. Technologies are kept as simple as possible. These humble materials are shaped to respond to the forms of a cottage or a civic building, with their simple forms being articulated by a soaring roof- with increased volume to reduce radiant heat loads and to capture cooling winds during favourable seasons. When the weather becomes harsh people can move inside to spaces cooled by DX Air Conditioner systems.  Image Courtesy © Peter Bennetts  Image Courtesy © Peter Bennetts A critical design feature is to provide mosquito protection for the residents and staff. All sleeping spaces and the external living sleeping spaces are protected with a woven stainless steel insect screen that doubles as a security screen to minimise risks of mosquito borne illnesses. Water heating is via solar and heat pump hot water systems, water consumption is minimised via low flow fixtures. As the facility is on a local bore the water supply is treated on site via an ultraviolet water treatment plant to remove pathogens.  Image Courtesy © Peter Bennetts  Image Courtesy © Peter Bennetts  Image Courtesy © Peter Bennetts  Image Courtesy © Peter Bennetts  Signboard, Image Courtesy © iredale pedersen hook architects  AmenVdah, Image Courtesy © iredale pedersen hook architects  Floor Plans, Image Courtesy © iredale pedersen hook architects
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Tags: Australia, Fitzroy Crossing Categories: Care Center, Health Center, House, Pavilion, Residential |
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