The Sydney-based architectural firm has taken out two categories at the UDIA NSW’s Excellence in Development awards, winning the Excellence in Retirement Living for Tulich’s The Royce development in Penrith and the Excellence in Aged Care category for the Harbison Dementia Cottages in Burradoo.

The Royce, a collaboration between the family-run operator and Penrith Panthers next to its entertainment precinct 57km west of the Sydney CBD, is a co-located community with a 128-bed aged care home and 130 retirement apartments.

With the existing design unable to progress through the DA process, Calderflower was engaged by Tulich to re-design the plans.

“The judges were particularly impressed with the connection to the local community,” they said in a statement.

Managing Director Lara Calder (pictured right) said post-occupancy studies during the COVID-19 pandemic had shown how the residents had benefited from the revised design.

“I think the pandemic particularly highlighted the fact that they were in a community where they were supported, where they felt safe, but they had a community that they felt very connected with,” she said.

The firm was also lauded for its design of the Harbison Dementia Cottages in Burradoo in the NSW Southern Highlands.

Based on the Butterfly Model, the two 15-bed cottages, part of Harbison’s larger seniors’ living and aged care campus, were labelled “an outstanding example of how peace and tranquillity can provide enrichment to those needing care.”