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Issue 62 - Living in the Environment Issue

Issue 62

Living in the Environment Issue

Issue 62 is the first issue of the year and always a great time to put our best foot forward. With Adam Goodrum, the loveliest man in design, as Guest Editor, we draw on his insights as a furniture designer, artist and educator to look at the makers shaping our design world. Sustainability has never been more important, and increasingly this is a consideration from the start with projects designed to address their immediate environment as well as the longevity of the planet. From the coldest winters to the most tropical of summers, addressing how we live in the environment is crucial to creating the perfect home.

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Leukaemia Foundation ESA Village
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Leukaemia Foundation ESA Village

Australia

The Buchan group continues its collaboration with the Leukaemia Foundation Queensland with a patient accommodation village in Brisbane.


The new ESA village, the third project of this type, builds on lessons learned in previous developments and focuses on providing relaxed accommodation for patients with all the facilities expected for long-term self-sufficient living and a particular emphasis on eschewing an institutional or hospital-like feel. 

The need for accommodation of this kind arises from the fact that patients from remote areas require treatments not available locally over extended periods. As such they must relocate to an urban centre in proximity of a hospital, and with the length of their stay anywhere from a few months to over a year they are almost always accompanied by their families. The accommodation is free-of-charge for regional/rural patients, with the LFQ providing over 40,000 nights of free accommodation in 2011.

Summarizing the central aim of the project Paul Watson, Associate of The Buchan Group, comments that “we have developed and moulded the expectations of the Foundation over the past decade to provide patients a home away from home”. To achieve this all the apartments have balcony access from the main living area and at least one bedroom and are linked to recreational spaces such as a communal bbq area, playground, family room and quiet contemplation area. Another feature is the apartment-specific climate control; in recognition of patients’ differing needs air-conditioning is individual and complemented by ceiling fans and cross-ventilation.

As per the aesthetic of the interiors Watson observes that “finishes are clean and contemporary but not overpowering”. “Vinyl flooring is used internally to provide ease of cleaning with carpets only in bedrooms” he adds, and “fixtures and finishes are chosen for ease of maintenance and replacement.” A noteworthy point is that the budget of the apartments is congruent with affordable housing construction and is consequently quite low, however the end result is polished and well-executed. 

The Buchan Group

Leukaemia Foundation Queensland

ESA


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ESAHome ArchitectureHouse ArchitectureLeukaemia Foundation QueenslandResidential ArchitectureThe Buchan Group


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Issue 62 - Living in the Environment Issue

Issue 62

Living in the Environment Issue

Issue 62 is the first issue of the year and always a great time to put our best foot forward. With Adam Goodrum, the loveliest man in design, as Guest Editor, we draw on his insights as a furniture designer, artist and educator to look at the makers shaping our design world. Sustainability has never been more important, and increasingly this is a consideration from the start with projects designed to address their immediate environment as well as the longevity of the planet. From the coldest winters to the most tropical of summers, addressing how we live in the environment is crucial to creating the perfect home.

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