New Ryman Village Named After Co-Founder

Ryman Healthcare has been pioneering retirement living since 1984, and currently has 36 villages across New Zealand.

ne of Ryman’s newest developments, the Kevin Hickman retirement village, was named after Ryman Healthcare’s co-founder, and features contemporary design, uninterrupted views of the Riccarton Park Racecourse, and luxurious amenities.

New developments build on learnings of the past and trends of the future; evidenced by Ryman’s adjusted approach to design in response to Covid and to accommodate the next generation of retirees.

Ryman Healthcare’s CEO David King reported the biggest design change resulting from the pandemic is taking an adaptable approach to spaces and building.

“When the pandemic hit, the protocols around social distancing changed the way our villages were occupied and used,” he said.

“A lot of PPE gear and other equipment quickly started turning up in the villages. All of this needed to be stored somewhere. Multi-use spaces are of great benefit for our villages, and providing these is something we are focusing on a lot more going forward.

“We need to be more agile for many reasons whether it be building supply shortages, last minute product changes, right down to how the spaces within our villages function.”

A well-known point of difference of Ryman villages is the incorporation of who they were named after.

“With this village being named after Kevin, it is no secret that he loves his horses,” said King.

“The location, viewing platforms and lounges are examples of this.”

Modern architectural designs, materials and aesthetics are also a huge part of the village.

Technology will also play a developing role, with the innovative myRyman care app.

The application will run on a device in every

care room and enable nurses and carers to record a resident’s daily care. Staff will access and update clinical data more efficiently, creating links and prompts that allow the team to know exactly what the resident needs.

“The myRyman app is constantly being updated to help in areas of healthcare - for example, nurses can check on medication and care notes,” said King.

Landscape architecture is about creating spaces that inspire healthy living and wellbeing whilst protecting natural environments. One such trend in retirement villages is creating sensory gardens, communal gardening areas and outdoor walks.

“We take pride in specialising in sensory activities for residents,” said King.

“These design features are included in the residents’ gardens, outdoor BBQ and dining areas. There are multi-use outdoor dining tables, lounging areas and bench seats within the gardens and walking areas, enabling residents to stop and rest.

“Within the villages there are water features and specialised landscaping areas, such as walking loops and a woodland forest walk.”

The landscape design encourages the trend and Ryman focus of getting people mobile.

“Helping enable residents to get moving is critical to their wellness and fitness,” said King.

“We aim to build walking loops through all our new villages and include external features of engagement along these loops. Planting native trees is one example of creating a special zone, and is respectful to the environment.”

Ryman has taken a sustainable approach to its designs, and will continue to have a greater focus on sustainability in the future.

“We have increased insulation in our village homes and areas. We have brought in more natural light through architectural design and layout, and endeavour to maximise the use of natural heat,” said King.

“Sustainable building products are used where possible and in some cases we have natural bore holes to help irrigate our landscape areas and incorporate soakage pits for stormwater.”

Accessibility is also a central design feature.

“Ryman has its own standards for the grading of footpaths and driveways - we are always mindful of these across the entire site,” said King.

The footpaths are 1500mm wide, and drop down curbs are used to ensure level thresholds for residents crossing roads. This particular village also has wider corridors in the main areas to ensure all residents can move freely.

Accessibility is incorporated into the swimming area as well.

“We have handrails for residents getting in and out of the pool, as well as hoists.”

With more developments in the works, Northwood and Park Terrace are the next two villages in Christchurch. In Auckland the Kohimarama and Takapuna sites are being developed, and Karaka is also in process.