DULWICH HILL HOUSE

Small but superb: The Dulwich Hill House

WORDS ARWEN SACHINWALLA PHOTOGRAPHY TOM FERGUSON

Alterations and additions to an existing federation style single residence in Dulwich Hill on a 300sqm site.

The alterations are almost invisible from the street front only revealing themselves slowly as you walk through the residence.

IMAGES The residence shares a boundary with a leafy park which was a view they wanted to be able to enjoy whilst still retaining their privacy.

PROJECT DETAILS

Project size 107 m2 Site size 309 m2 Year Completed 2021 Building levels 1 Project team Studio P Architecture & Interiors

Marrying the old to the new, Dulwich Hill Residence showcases the original building on the street front whilst bringing a contemporary edge to the alterations of the second half of the site.

The alterations are almost invisible from the street front only revealing themselves slowly as you walk through the residence ending up and the stunning modern kitchen/dining space and multifunction outdoor area.

The site shares a side boundary fence with a quaint and leafy park. Adding to the atmosphere of the outdoor area and helping you forget you are in the thick of the Inner West. The clients are a working couple who travel often for work however they enjoy entertaining at home and often have their two young nephews stay over. The house had cracking walls, leaking roof and was overall becoming unliveable. The clients love the site however and wanted to create a space they could live comfortably in for years to come. The existing house was a 2 bed, 1 bath with a shower in the laundry and tight kitchen, they wished to retain elements however make them more usable, a bath was a must.

Extra storage was also an important element as the original house had very little, not to mention their love of wine collecting meant they needed suitable storage for their many beautiful bottles.

The residence shares a boundary with a leafy park which was a view they wanted to be able to enjoy whilst still retaining their privacy.

Infection control in aged care design

Infection control is one of the primary concerns when designing aged care facilities, the focus on which has only been heightened by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Between April 2020 and April 2021, people in residential aged care facilities made up 75% of COVID-19 deaths in Australia, despite making up only 7% of total cases.

The risks associated with infectious disease are heightened in the aged care sector for one main reason – residents are particularly vulnerable due to co-morbidities and advanced age. Beyond COVID-19, aged care facilities have also seen incidences of waterborne pathogens, bacteria, influenza and other diseases spread through resident communities.

The built environment of aged care facilities is a major contributing factor to the spread of infectious disease. Aged care facilities are characterised by close living quarters, shared rooms and close communal areas. Staff members frequently assist multiple residents, potentially becoming a vector of disease between them. Recent reports have also indicated inadequate infection control training and insufficient supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) throughout the sector.

Incorporating infection control principles in the design of aged care facilities will make it easier for care providers to maintain high levels of hygiene. Below are some opportunities for architects and designers to improve infection control in aged care environments: • Designing comfortable rooms with private ensuites to reduce shared living areas and provide safe spaces for infectious cases to isolate. • Facility layouts will need to change to enable social distancing in communal areas, outdoor spaces and busy thoroughfares. • Provide staff changing and hygiene facilities, handwashing stations and accessible storage of PPE. • Protecting water supplies through disinfection, hygienic design and effective maintenance and cleaning procedures. • Specify easy-to-clean surfaces with antimicrobial protection. • Incorporate touchfree technology such as sensor-operated taps to reduce surface-to-hand transmission. • Utilise smart bathroom solutions to analyse fixture usage and monitor hygiene levels in real-time.

Caroma LiveWell specialises in providing beautiful bathroom fixtures, including tapware, basins, rails, showers, and toilets that are designed to reduce challenges for the elderly, while ensuring easy cleaning and maximum hygiene. Working closely with health and aged care specialists, Caroma delivers innovative solutions that surpass current industry standards, with features that can help control the spread of infection.