HammondCare Darlinghurst Aged Care for the Homeless

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

The first of its kind in Sydney, this residential aged care facility provides accommodation for both men and women who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, incorporating specialist services for people with high care needs.

The aged care home was approved by the City of Sydney in February 2017 who supported construction with a $1.5 million grant. The neighbouring property, St John’s Anglican Church have been supporting homeless men and women for almost 30 years through programs such as Rough Edges so it was exciting to see that this development was welcomed by the local community.

The five storey building with 2 levels of basement carpark accommodates 42 private bedrooms with self-contained en-suites as well as associated common areas. Features of the ground floor include administration offices, back of house facilities and a retail space with direct access to Victoria Street. In addition, the facility offers an external colonnade connecting Darlinghurst Road, Victoria Street and St John’s with a rolling grass hill.

Through the ECI phase, Taylor provided HammondCare with various construction and cost effective solutions. The team worked closely with HammondCare and St John’s to ensure communication remained open and transparent throughout the project.

Prior to construction the site also underwent extensive remediation from being located on the land of a former petrol station. Due to the poor contamination of the ground, this process needed to be managed carefully and required a unique filtration system designed to separate clean and contaminated water from the building before and after construction.

The most important aspect was understanding the design and technological requirements to provide highly complex care for the intended end users. The building and its interiors are designed to make residents feel comfortable and at home, especially those who require specialised dementia and psycho-geriatric care. The purpose was to deliver a functional facility that helps restore dignity and maximise independence for its elderly residents.