Thornlands is a proposed master planned Integrated Care Community at Kinross Road, Thornlands for Churches of Christ in Queensland. The development application integrates a staged 192-bed aged care facility and retirement precinct with a range of commercial, medical, retail and community uses.
Developed collaboratively with Tract Consulting, the urban design master plan arranges the uses in close proximity to each other around a public square. Well-defined pedestrian connections link this ‘community hub’ to other residential areas.
Urban vitality is assisted through the mix of uses and a reasonable density of population within walking distance of the hub. Other uses such as convenience shopping and a childcare centre are also proposed within the wider master plan area. A range of attached housing types have been developed creating a settlement layout which is sensitive to the needs of the local koala population and, in particular, their movement through the site.
Central to the plan’s success is the design of a compact two-storey aged care facility. A range of aged care building models was examined for the project. This particular urban typology allows for a staged construction and orientates buildings towards surrounding streets and the community node.
The project’s development application is currently being assessed against the Kinross Road Draft Structure Plan.
