High care beds created in a disused hostel
This project was part of a program of ninety residential (high care) beds across two agencies, completed over a period of only four months. Thirty beds were provided by reconfiguring the abandoned Montgomery Hostel at Caulfield General Medical Centre (CGMC), previously scheduled for demolition.
The former bedrooms were enlarged by enclosing verandah spaces to make residents sitting areas. Reconfiguring doors to ensuites increased clearance around bed-heads. Bold colours in bedhead walls, simple joinery, and age appropriate furnishings were carefully designed to brighten up the small rooms.
Two pods were built into the central courtyard, off the existing racetrack corridor system. Each contained a staff observation area (to allow staff to work unobtrusively, close to bedrooms), a resident sitting area (with views across the courtyard), and an equipment storage bay (for hoisting gear, wheelchairs and the like to be close to bedrooms).
The courtyard was inexpensively refurbished with paving and an eclectic array of planting to stimulate all senses, and to reflect the changes in seasons.
The living areas, located in the historic part of the building, were treated more as a restoration. Antique style lighting, paint colours and detailing, as well as feature tiling accentuated the period features of the spaces.
