With a quiet surrounding residential neighbourhood on one side and Browns Bay town centre on the other, The Sands continuum of care retirement village is designed to be both iconic and prestigious within the context of the surrounding beachfront community.
The building is configured as two distinct wings with an elegant central connection, which mediate between the openness of the main central courtyard and the more private care facility garden areas nestled within the landscaped slopes to the west of the building.
The architectural design balances the desire to create a strong, character-defining building appropriate to its landmark location with the need to offer an environment that is attractive to both residents and the neighbouring community. Façade design is varied and modulated to present a unique and varied face depending on the viewer’s proximity and vantage point, and façade treatments are carefully configured to ensure care suites are visually indistinguishable from private apartment units - while still maintaining operational separation through provision of separate internal access and common spaces for the two groups.
The overall quality of The Sands development is such that it has achieved the highest ever recorded purchase price for a retirement village apartment in New Zealand.
Client
Oceania
Location
Auckland, New Zealand
Awards
Aged Advisor New Zealand: Best Aged Care over 40 beds
www.oceaniahealthcare.co.nz/location/the-sands
Note: Project undertaken in partnership with Ministry of Architecture + Interiors (Auckland) (www.ministry.nz) and Peddlethorpe (www.peddlethorp.co.nz)