This demographic shift presents a vital opportunity for architects to design purposeful developments that prioritise inclusion, social agency, andlong-term adaptability.

Designed for mission-led organisation VMCH, St Clare is a world-class retirement precinct in Melbourne’s inner-east. Comprising 103 residences and resort-style amenities, the project offers a community-focused setting for those over 55, supporting a continuum-of-care residential model for ageing in place.

“The benefits of ageing in place within a village context cannot be overstated. Working closely with the client, we designed residences that allow for future adaptation, enabling each home to evolve in response to residents’ changing needs, without making this process feel overt or clinical,” says Woods Bagot Associate Principal and Project Leader Blair Parkinson.

“The design establishes a clear hierarchy between public and private spaces, ranging from the adaptive reuse of a heritage building as a café for the broader Kew community, to semi-private resident amenities housed within adjacent heritage structures, through to individual residences and private gardens. It’s about providing residents with the autonomy to choose when they want to connect and when they want to retreat.”

The masterplan features a series of human-scale buildings, linked by open-air walkways and landscape courtyards, balancing social hubs with quiet retreats. Integrated around significant heritage trees and three heritage buildings.

The masterplan is configured around significant heritage gum trees and three existing heritage-listed homes. Two of these residences, Esmonde and Plumstead houses, have been repurposed to host communal amenities—including a worship space, pool, pilates studio, and social lounges—addressing the physical, social, and spiritual dimensions of well-being.

Shared spaces offer the benefits of an established family home without the burden of maintenance. A private dining room allows residents to host large gatherings, while communal gardens provide a productive landscape without the upkeep, ensuring residents maintain their routines and relationships with ease.

Across the 16,000-square-metre site, the design ensures universal accessibility without an institutional feel. The design team managed an eight-metre fall by mitigating slopes through gradual grading to create a level experience for all mobilities.

Guided by a strong biophilic approach, over half the precinct is dedicated to greenery, including a central lawn and a residents-only dog park. Meanwhile, an onsite community café interfaces with the neighbourhood to encourage incidental social connection.

The architecture takes a sympathetic approach to heritage, reinterpreting the historic vernacular of the Kew neighbourhood. Articulated mansard roofing reduces visual scale, while the material palette references surrounding Victorian and Federation Queen Anne homes. Building mass is broken into a series of smaller-scale structures to encourage view diversity and fostering an intimate, neighbourhood character.

Inside, the apartments embed flexibility tactfully, beautifully and discretely so residences can adapt to a user’s changing needs. This spatial planning supports security and confidence without compromising on refined aesthetics, enabling each home to evolve in response changes in a person’s circumstances, such as loss of mobility or vision deterioration.

Generous corridors and reinforced wall studding allow for futuremobility needs without compromising the high-end feel. Drawing on expertise across the residential, wellness, and hospitality sectors, Woods Bagot has delivered a village environment that allows residents to remain within their community, supported by a design that is both resilient and refined.

“Most residents are transitioning from established family homes in Melbourne’s southeast, so it was important to maintain a sense of scale and generosity within the residences—through generous proportions, high ceilings and bespoke detailing—while ensuring ease of living and future-proofing to support ageing in place. That peace of mind is what downsizers are seeking,” says Woods Bagot Principal and Interior Design Leader Bronwyn McColl.

“We aimed to create environments that promote security and confidence without compromising on refinedaesthetics. Considered elements, such as bespoke entry door detailing, allow residents to personalise their homes and create a distinct arrival experience.”

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