Projects Details
Catholic Healthcare
Completed
$25M
122 bed RACF - 6600sqm + basement
Grindley Constructions
This 122-bed Residential Aged Care Facility was developed as a cornerstone of Catholic Healthcare’s wider site strategy. Set within a masterplanned village layout, the building sits alongside independent living, communal spaces and gardens. Its large footprint was designed to provide natural outlooks from every room, creating a light-filled, generous and calming environment that supports ageing with dignity and connection.
Design Integration & Architectural Language
Architectural form, materials and massing were shaped by the overarching village character. The RACF uses familiar rooflines, layered textures and articulated facades to break down its scale, giving it a more domestic, human feel. Internally, the floor plan allows for household-based living, giving residents a more intimate, home-like experience while maintaining operational efficiency and clear staff workflows.
The masterplan was driven by both vision and constraint. Site topography, native forest remnants and bushfire risk demanded a strategic layout—and MDP worked closely with the client to position the buildings and internal road network around a central landscaped village square. The RACF was integrated seamlessly into this vision, benefitting from open space outlooks, natural light and gentle pedestrian connections. Phasing the development to work around existing structures and maintain site access throughout construction added complexity, but it was managed through staged delivery planning that protected amenity while keeping the wider strategy intact.
Construction Challenges & Delivery Precision
Prefabricated bathroom pods were incorporated into the design to improve quality and efficiency, but their integration brought unique coordination challenges during construction. MDP worked closely with Grindley Constructions to manage tolerances, services alignment and sequencing, ensuring successful installation without compromising timelines. Despite the technical complexity of the build, the RACF was delivered on time and on budget. The resulting facility is not only robust and compliant, but light-filled, comforting and connected—reinforcing the site's identity as an integrated community where care, independence and quality of life sit side by side.
MDP’s role on this project was both architectural and strategic. We designed not just a building, but a place that supports holistic care while contributing to the identity of a larger village setting. From the masterplan through to construction detailing, our work enabled Catholic Healthcare to realise its vision for a connected community that allows ageing in place with dignity. The RACF’s thoughtful form, resident-focused planning and architectural consistency reinforce its place within the overall precinct—a place that feels less like a facility, and more like a neighbourhood.
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