This is a design ideas competition of significant national public interest. The future of Australian aged care accommodation will benefit from the exploration of opportunities and design ideas generated by this competition.
Competition objectives
The competition aims to:
- test and refine the draft National Aged Care Design Principles and Guidelines (Principles and Guidelines)
- foster an awareness of the Principles and Guidelines among older people, their families and carers, providers of residential aged care and design professionals
- promote and encourage adoption of the Principles and Guidelines in the design of residential aged care accommodation
- validate the potential of the Principles and Guidelines to demonstrate what well designed residential aged care accommodation looks and feels like
- challenge preconceptions and endorse a new paradigm in the design of residential aged care accommodation
- showcase design as a change agent to influence positive and innovative lifestyle opportunities for older people.
Principles and Guidelines
We are consulting with older people, the aged care sector and design experts to improve the design of residential aged care accommodation. These consultations are helping create a new Residential Aged Care Accommodation Framework, including the Principles and Guidelines, to start from 1 July 2024.
The Principles and Guidelines encourage practical changes to residential aged care homes to create welcoming and safe living environments that are accessible, dementia-friendly, and consider small-home models. The draft Principles and Guidelines are the focus of this competition.
Who is involved
We (the Department of Health and Aged Care) are running this competition.
The Australian Institute of Architects and the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects have endorsed this competition.
