New communities placing health and liveability at the centre of design
With people focusing more on their overall wellbeing, forward-thinking developers are making sure all the right ingredients are built into new apartments to make it easy.
There was a time when the idea of health and wellbeing simply meant being gym-fit. Now, there’s an increasing awareness that there’s much more to it. People are aiming for ‘overall wellbeing’ with a balance between the physical, mental and social aspects of their lives.
Wellness pursuits have become immensely popular with Australians. Industry research firm IBISWorld reported earlier this year that the yoga and pilates market is worth $716 million, personal training is $468 million, and the health and wellness spa market is $462 million.
“Wellness is a big trend that people are attracted to and I can’t really see that changing,” says Cameron Kusher, executive manager of economic research at REA Group.
Health and wellness mean much more than being gym-fit, but having a fully equipped gym doesn’t hurt.
“It talks to the fact that we’re working a lot, people are a bit stressed about things, so people want more time to look after themselves and be kind to themselves,” says Kusher.
Wellness at the core
As people focus more on their overall wellbeing, they’re also thinking about how this is shaped by their living environment. People want to live somewhere that is positive for their physical, emotional and social health, explains Kusher.
“It’s more than just living in a building, it’s becoming friends with the people you’re in the building with, and some new buildings are starting to focus on that more,” he says.
Peaceful and tranquil common areas are important for general wellbeing.
Easy access to exercise areas, relaxation spaces, nature and social areas is desirable, as well as factors that impact comfort such as purified air and water, and lighting that helps you sleep better.
“People don’t want to be in an apartment and have to be pumping the air conditioner 24/7,” says Kusher.
Leading the way
One new apartment development that has the health and wellbeing of residents at the core of its design is Beyond, located in Hurstville, Sydney. Nigel Givoni, CEO and director of Fridcorp, the developer behind the project, says providing the perfect foundations for a balanced lifestyle was a priority.
“We’re bringing a focus on wellness into the home because we believe this is becoming so much more of an important factor for everyone now,” says Givoni.
“In keeping with our considered apartment design, we have created a precinct that has not yet been delivered to this level in Sydney, offering world-class amenity where residents’ can feel part of, and belong, to a community that positively contributes to their overall lifestyle and wellbeing.”
Beyond is located 16km from the Sydney CBD, with 563 apartments across four buildings.
Beyond will have two spacious podiums designed for exercise and relaxation, featuring a fully equipped gym, a yoga studio, a tai chi and meditation deck, an outdoor yoga deck, a sauna and a games room.
“There are indoor dining and lounge areas, along with outdoor dining pods including teppanyaki BBQ areas and firepits — so the amenity is vast,” says Givoni.
Beyond will also feature multi-layered landscaped gardens designed by 360 Degrees including a community garden with produce gardens, native beehives and garden plots. A multi-purpose sports court and communal lawn provide spaces to be active and retreat, and walkways from the gardens connect to the neighbouring tree-lined Kempt Field Park.
Community connections
A sense of community is important to wellbeing. Givoni says Beyond will have a tailored phone app to help facilitate connection between residents.
“There will be the social side of this development, where we are creating a community,” he says. “Residents can access a virtual concierge, book the private amenity spaces and host events, book a personal training session or dog walking service. It will also allow users to connect with the Beyond and wider Hurstville communities, explore local activities and receive exclusive offers from local retailers.”
Beyond’s architecture and amenity interiors are designed by architectural firm DKO.
To make life as convenient as possible, residents will have direct access to a retail laneway to shop at a full-sized Woolworths and a collection of specialty retail stores on the ground floor.
“That is in itself an amazing offering, without even talking about the apartments,” says Givoni.
What’s inside counts
Residences at Beyond all feature the ‘Wellness by Fridcorp’ concept which focuses on enhancing the health and wellbeing of residents. Apartments will include purified air and water, as well as innovative lighting technology adjusted to match natural circadian rhythms and promote regenerative sleep.
“We believe in designing from the inside out,” says Givoni. “There are additions that we’re putting in above and beyond to enhance the overall wellbeing of residents. We put as much effort as we possibly can into smart and timeless quality design.”
All photos supplied by Fridcorp.
Originally published by realestate.com.au
