Design Practice 2A
Executive Summary
Bdes Arch (year 2)
Chris Katris
Edward Salib
Tim Morrissey
Executive Summary
Topic 11: Find and analyse precedents(s) of Senior Citizen’s/ Elder’s centres.
Senior Citizens centres are community facilities, usually run by local councils that
provide sedate recreation for people in the sixty five plus age bracket. Senior citizens
centres, the building occupied by a senior citizens community, can be found in all socioeconomic spheres, which lead to a great degree of variation from one model to another.
The centres are typically found in suburban areas (Eastwood, Earlwood, Georges Hall),
in particular zones with an established base of ageing citizens.
Our research was based around three Senior citizens centres within our local areas.
These included: Earlwood Senior Citizens Centre in the city of Canterbury, the Georges
Hall Senior Citizens Centre in the city of Bankstown and the Eastwood Senior Citizens
Centre in the city of Ryde. We discovered that Council’s aims for Senior Citizens Centre
were:
1. “To encourage maximum community use of the centres.”
2. “To encourage the provision of activities and services which reflect the
diverse needs and interests of older residents”
3. “To ensure that centres are accessible for older people with disabilities and
older people from non-English speaking backgrounds.”
4. “To ensure efficient and effective management of the centres.”
(Ref: http://www.canterbury.nsw.gov.au/)
These aims were not only used as guidelines’ when analysing the precedents but
also aided our understanding of how to design a Senior citizens centre. Furthermore, we
then began to read through how these aims may be achieved through the design of each
building. We split up each precedent into design issues such as: disabled access,
designing for elders, layout (plans, elevation, site plans) and location.
Disabled Access – specific design methods used to aid the ageing in the Senior Citizens
Centres.
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The use of handrails and grab rails in the amenities and entrances to prevent
injury and provide added support for the seniors when using the Senior
Citizens centres.
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Access ramps as paramount for providing ease of movement throughout the
building and a “continuous path of travel.”
(Ref: Clause D3, 2 BCA – ‘Disability Access Checklist’ by Canterbury
City Council.)
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Interior step ramps, such as those seen in the Eastwood Senior Citizens Centre
at the entrances to small meeting rooms as well as a specific door width for
smooth transitions between spaces.
Design Practice 2A
Executive Summary
Bdes Arch (year 2)

Chris Katris
Edward Salib
Tim Morrissey
Parking positions are an integral part when designing a senior citizens centre
as most seniors use the disabled parking facilities which were located close to
the entrances of the Centres.
Designing for Elders
Besides providing disabled access we also observed functions and designs within
these precedents that cater for the elderly. In B.W Pearce’s “Senior Living Communities”
he states that “If properly designed, the facilities can enhance an older person’s
independence, dignity, health and enjoyment of life. If poorly planned and detailed, it can
imprison, confuse and depress.” As a result it was paramount that we deconstructed each
precedent to understand the implications of designing for elders. Such design issues
included:
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avoiding self locking door handles
anti slip rug instead of a loose rug,
easy reach kitchen appliances,
thermal water heater,
ergonomic taps, fan heaters,
Abundant seating
Thermal comfort
Warning systems
Increase of light levels
Layout

All Senior citizen centres we looked at were surrounded by a large hall (Earlwood
Senior Citizen Centre hall approx 250 square metres). The hall was the main
space used by the seniors, thus, its size is accounted for.

Small enclosed rooms were seen in the Precedents to accommodate the numerous
Club and cultural meetings, activities and administration.

The plans of all the Senior citizens centres were similar. They all consisted of a
main entrance primarily opening out onto the main street and numerous rooms
engulfed by a large hall. Furthermore, they were all single story to account for
ease of movement and close proximity entrances and exits from room to room.
Location

The location was a major issue when analysing these Precedents. All three Senior
citizens centres were surrounded by social facilities as seen in the Georges Hall
Senior Citizen Centre that was located next to an Aged care facility.
Design Practice 2A
Executive Summary
Bdes Arch (year 2)

Chris Katris
Edward Salib
Tim Morrissey
Location ensures that the seniors can access the Centre both through personal and
Public Transport. The Earlwood Senior Citizens centre according to its president;
Betty Wagstaff is accessible via Bardwell Park and Dulwich Hill Stations as well
as through the 426 Bus line from Marrickville and Sydenham.
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All of the precedents consisted of a Bus station directly outside the them to
enhance the use of public transport to and from the venue.
Conclusion
It was clear that a Senior Citizen Centre must be a building that is multifunctional
and user-friendly for the elderly. Both from analysing our precedents in the specified
areas, observing Council’s aims, a Disability Access Checklist and various books on
elderly we further understood essentially what a Senior Citizen Centre was and how we
should successfully design one. Dillon Kombumerri made a valid point in saying that
Elders or Senior Citizens Centre should be based on aspects of the community.
Bibliography
Design Practice 2A
Executive Summary
Bdes Arch (year 2)
Chris Katris
Edward Salib
Tim Morrissey
1. Disability Access Checklist by Canterbury City Council (produced January 2002)
2. B.W Pearce: Senior Living Communities, Johns Hopkins University Press, 1998.
3. Department of Social Security, Homes for aged People, 1973.
4. Yunupingu and O’Donoghue, Elders, Cambridge University Press, 2003
5. Canterbury City Council Web page: www.canterbury.nsw.gov.au/
6.
Information on DDA 1992, Web page: www.austil.edu.au/au/legis
7. Disability Discrimination Act action plan, Ryde Council, from
www.ryde.nsw.gov.au