Last month our team attended the official opening of the Walmsley Residential Aged Care Facility. This 120-bed, two-storey development Foreground designed in collaboration with Australian Unity is situated in leafy Kilsyth, in the foothills of Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges. It was wonderful to see the community enjoying the building as briefed: a hive of care and connection between residents and their families, staff and the broader community.
Walmsley RACF opens
Wurundjeri Elder, Uncle Ringo, led a smoking ceremony, paying respect to his people and to Elders past and present, setting a tone of welcome and healing. Councillor Len Cox congratulated all involved on another highly successful project. Executive General Manager of Residential Communities for Australian Unity, Beverly Smith, together with CEO & Group Managing Director, Rohan Mead, introduced the staff and residents. They thanked all those who contributed to the project, including the Foreground Architecture team and Ireland Brown Constructions, who were unwavering in their dedication to delivering a finely detailed result. The official ceremony was concluded with the laying of a plaque under a newly planted watergum tree: a nod to the building’s nature-focused outlook.
Walmsley demonstrates the fundamental tenets of Australian Unity’s award-winning “Better Together®” model, with its core values of connection, independence and choice central to the success of healthy and happy residential aged care communities. Key to the success of the project was the collaborative design process between Australian Unity’s Lorraine Calder, General Manager Places Specialist Care, and Foreground Architecture’s design team. Activities rooms, sunlit nooks, a multi-faith chapel, gymnasium and café demonstrate varied opportunities to pursue creative interests, connection or solitude in a relaxed homely setting. Importantly, the plan prioritises natural light at every turn, and smaller neighbourhood clusters with no more than 13 rooms in each zone support strong relationships and manageable staffing areas. A lounge area with interactive train ride simulation is another highlight, designed to benefit dementia care and memory support residents.
It was a truly moving experience to see residents so thrilled with their new homes. Foreground Principal Seniors Living Patrick Ong, Senior Project Architect Kerri Pratt, Interior Designer Chiara Abbassaggi, and Documentation Lead Nawar Kunda, took in a full tour, enjoying some delicious canapés and desserts served by Walmsley’s head chef, Kelvin Shaw. A huge thanks to our team for their determination and attention to detail in bringing this exemplar project to fruition.