Korongee Dementia Village

The $25 million Korongee Dementia Village in Glenorchy, Tasmania, Australia, provides a “home-like” experience for residents, with an easy-to-navigate landscape design inspired by the familiar local neighbourhood.

The project is a partnership between not-for-profit aged care provider Glenview, HESTA, Social Ventures Australia and the Australian Government.

Lead designers ThomsonAdsett architects worked with landscape architects Papworth Davies, Cykel Architecture, SMG, Gandy & Roberts, Equality Building and Pitt & Sherry. The build was delivered by Fairbrother.

Korongee is built around a household model where residents live together, supported by staff. The village accommodates 96 residents in 12 cottages. Glenview worked with the University of Tasmania on a process that matches residents to a house that best suits their interests and experiences.

The homes are set within a village of streetscapes, general store, cafe, beauty salon, community centre with cinema, wellness centre and a series of interconnected sensory gardens and activity zones.

The landscape, designed by Papworth Davies, reflects dementia design principles, providing residents with visual cues to help them find their way around the gardens and village grounds.

“Central to the design is the resolution of circulation and legibility. The landscape has been carefully planned to provide clear, pedestrian circulation systems throughout the village,” says Papworth Davies.

“This is achieved through subtle layers of landscape interventions ranging from simple visual cues, key destination points, materials, to planting displays and sensory stimulation.”

Local character is included in the environment; “The landscape setting echoes the typical suburban scenes found in the Glenorchy neighbourhood – weatherboard houses, picket fences with low hedges, pocket parks and meandering streets,” Papworth Davies says.

“Opportunities for social interaction, meaningful activities and sensory stimulation have been integrated into the scheme to build a community atmosphere across a range of demographics and age groups.”

Park DDA Seats are specified with aluminium woodgrain Wood Without Worry battens in Spotted Gum, with Night Sky frames. The seats have an upright backrest and are specified with arms for easy ingress and egress for residents.

Wood Without Worry battens provide the warm look of timber with high durability and easy maintenance – requiring a wipe with soapy water when necessary.