Kangara Waters by IRT
Kangara Waters, Aboriginal for ‘Beautiful View’, is an IRT seniors living complex which provides a range of services from self care (independent living) to fully assisted care (residential low and high care), all within the one residential community.
The village is built on a 7.5 ha site overlooking Lake Ginninderra in Belconnen ACT and comprises 150 Self-Care units, a 100-bed Residential Care Facility (RCF), a wellness centre and a large community complex including a commercial café. The self-care units are provided in a combination of 56 single and double storey villas and 94 apartment-style units in four apartment blocks up to five storeys in height.
The residential villa, apartments and RCF, when combined with significant open passive and active recreational spaces and community facilities, form an integrated community. It is this model of care that has generated the village concept, defining the disposition of residences, spaces for private and community use and paths and roads that connect them, whilst placing a strong focus on common community facilities at its heart.
The village is located in a unique and wonderful natural setting that has defined the nature and character of the design as a whole, taking advantage of orientation, views and gradient to connect the village to its lakeside context and to the wider community of Belconnen through a network of paths through and adjacent to the site. The site is approximately 2km from the Belconnen Town Centre.
A strong focus on practical ESD design principles, such as ensuring that every residence has living areas with a northerly aspect and maximisation of the thermal enclosure of the buildings ensures that the residents enjoy high comfort levels during the wide ranging seasonal weather fluctuations experienced in the ACT.
Judges Comments
Kangara Waters is a high standard seniors living complex built on a 7.5 ha site bordered by and overlooking Lake Ginninderra in Belconnen ACT and comprises 94 Self – Care 2 and 3 bedroom apartments, 56 Self- Care 2 and 3 bedroom villas and a 100 bed Residential Care Facility, a wellness centre and a large community centre including a commercial café.
The size of the land and the quality of the master plan has enabled the creation of an integrated village/community in a beautiful lakeside setting with the apartment and villas enjoying north facing living areas, lake and mountain views.
The development has a village green, a village square and significant open space.
The development is designed to be part of the Belconnen community and is linked by lakeside paths and cycle ways.