| 5 T TKaren Phelps New chapter inspired by nature The buildings offer extensive sight lines across the bowling green and through to a natural stream beyond. Photo: Barry Tobin. REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT MAKO Commercial: Pacific Environments Architects Pacific Environment Architects secured an Excellence Award at the 2024 New Zealand Chinese Building Industry Association (NZCBIA) Awards for its innovative approach to retirement living in Silverdale. The award-winning project developed by The Matvin Group and dubbed ‘The Botanic’, showcases a design philosophy that challenges traditional retirement village aesthetics. The village features two distinct buildings, crafted to embrace nature and promote wellbeing amongst residents. “When we met the clients for the first time and they asked for something less ordinary for this brand-new village, we knew we were off to a great start,” says Erxin Shang, associate at Pacific Environment Architects. The development, built by MAKO Commercial, comprises a clubhouse supporting socialisation and relaxation, complete with café, bar and entertainment lounges, alongside a recreation centre housing swimming pools, spa facilities, steam rooms and a gym. Rather than adopting conventional solid building masses, the architects opted for an open-plan design articulated by tree-like structures, drawing inspiration from forest environments. “The experience of being amongst giant trees, rather than looking from outside in, evokes a feeling of tranquillity. Light is filtered through the canopies and the space around you becomes ethereal,” explains Erxin, who drew from personal experiences in New Zealand forests to inform the design. Erxin says the development represents a significant departure from traditional retirement village design. Instead of enclosed spaces, the buildings offer extensive sight lines across the bowling green and through to a natural stream beyond, creating a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor spaces. “With this village, we also wanted to celebrate retirement living as the beginning of a new chapter, one that is very vibrant and full of energy,” says Erxin. “It’s about staying connected with people, connected with the community and an often overlooked aspect, which is connected with nature.” He says the project’s success stems from its strong foundation in biophilic design principles, which promote wellness through connection with nature. This approach particularly benefits the village’s demographic, with most residents aged between 70 and 80 years old, who may be less inclined to spend time outdoors. The buildings form an L-shape to cradle the bowling green, creating a plaza space that serves as a central hub for the 8.2-hectare village. Pacific Environment Architects collaborated closely with manufacturers and engineers to achieve clean and precise junctions throughout the structure. The firm’s commitment to detail extended to innovative solutions for service integration, including recessed track lighting and cleverly concealed electrical conduits within the glulam (glue-laminated timber) structure. The innovative approach employs mass timber construction, specifically choosing glulam over steel to achieve both aesthetic and environmental goals. We specialise in providing durable, and high quality concrete services for Residential and Commercial projects Proudly supporting Mako Commercial 027 293 7469 admin@mcintoshconcrete2024.co.nz www.mcintoshconcrete.co.nz Commercial & Residential Waterproofing & Tiling Services www.tombatiling.co.nz info@tombatiling.co.nz 021 923 463 / 022 403 7594 Tomba Tiling
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