The first major stage of a new long term masterplan was completed in 2011 for this prominent site in inner Melbourne. Once all stages are completed the site will incorporate high rise retirement living, multi storey car parking, a services building, low, high, dementia and transition care. The Royal Freemasons are a long standing client and the project involved developing a site adjoining a high care wing which ThomsonAdsett designed nearly 20 years ago.
The brief was to develop a new building which would fit between the existing 1995 aged care wing and the existing chapel, which were both on different levels. This would be the first stage of a continuous care community which will eventually contain 106 aged care beds, 150 apartments and a community care facility. The building also houses the administration for the Royal Freemasons group, as well as day therapy and other community services. A new commercial kitchen and laundry facilities were also incorporated in an adjacent linked services building.
The client requested that the building retain some of the Royal Freemasons heritage from the site, especially the Masonic temple image. The design team decided to retain the existing Masonic temple façade to Coppin Hall (demolished to make way for the new building). The 1920’s façade has been carefully removed in a cradle and stored ready for reinstallation as an external facade to the new building.
The second stage will see further demolition of 1960’s yellow brick institutional buildings to make way for the high rise retirement living tower and multi storey car parking.
(Completed)
Melbourne, Victoria , Australia
Royal Freemasons Homes of Victoria
Aged Care, Retirement Living
