Walsh Trust Community Residence

Project statistics

• Client: WALSH TRUST
• Site: 168 Te Atatu Road, Te Atatu, Auckland
• Footprint: 300m²
• Completed: November 2009

Project brief

The WALSH Trust is a leader in the provision of community-based mental health support services to around 300 people in West Auckland.

Established at the time large psychiatric hospitals (such as Carrington and Kingseat) were closing down, the WALSH Trust began offering housing and support to people at Langford House, their property in Te Atatu Road, West Auckland.

By 2009, the 20 year old existing 300m² building in Te Atatu Road was dated and needed refurbishing to provide residential care for elderly people recovering from depression and anxiety disorders.

Design solution:

The house was gutted and extended. The design featured open lounge, dining and communal kitchen facilities and six spacious bedrooms and ensuites. Meeting and training rooms for staff were incorporated into the back end.

Natural light floods in from rafter windows. The design creates a warm, communal feel – as opposed to an institutional feel.

The property was retrofitted for special needs and accessibility such as wheelchair access. It was also retrofitted for sustainability and energy efficiency featuring high grade insulation and a passive solar design.

“WALSH Trust provides a range of housing and support services for people who experience serious mental illness. We own a large 10 bedroom 1970s designed style hostel which we desperately needed to bring into the new millennium. While solid and functional, it was dated, had a cold institutional feel, and was not a popular choice for people – both clients and referrers. Our dilemma was where to start; indeed were our ambitions for the property possible!

Not realizing we might require the services of an architect we fortuitously by chance, made contact with staff from Context. Straight away we were getting a strong sense of the possibilities this property held – and in a very practical sense. Very soon we were considering drawings, a range of options and fittings – and most importantly budgets. Our project was underway.

We engaged Context’s services as project managers. This was a great move on our part taking away much of the head-scratching, oversight and liaison with builders and council. All through, we were kept informed, staff were accessible, professional and responsive.

We are now the proud owners of a six bedroom home that is functional with contemporary design and fittings, but most importantly is now warm and welcoming; an environment people enjoy being a part of. Our thanks to Context for their professional and friendly approach – and expertise.“

Rob Warriner, Chief Executive, WALSH Trust