Wangaratta Specialist Housing

Wangaratta Specialist Housing

A 44-dwelling specialist housing development completed in Wangaratta, designed to provide accommodation for residents with complex support needs within regional Victoria. The project was delivered through partnership between Uniting VT and Homes Victoria, representing collaborative engagement between community housing and government housing authorities in addressing regional housing demand. Specialist housing presents distinct design and operational challenges: residents typically require proximity to support services, accessible design features must operate seamlessly within everyday environments, and housing must accommodate varying degrees of independence whilst providing flexible access to care coordination. The three-storey building form was structured to facilitate informal community amongst residents whilst enabling appropriate supervision and service delivery. Design decisions around movement patterns, common spaces, and individual dwelling layouts were developed to support social connection without compromising privacy or autonomy. Accessibility was integrated throughout the design rather than applied as an additional layer. This involved careful consideration of universal design principles: level thresholds, flexible circulation spaces, accessible bathroom and kitchen configurations, and strategic placement of rest points throughout the building. Particular attention was given to how assistive technologies and mobility aids function within residential spaces, and how the building's layout supports both independent navigation and assisted access as residents' circumstances change. The project engaged with the specific context of regional Victoria, where specialist housing provision typically operates under more constrained infrastructure and service availability than metropolitan locations. The design considered how the building might integrate within the existing Wangaratta community fabric, and how residents could access local employment, education, and community facilities beyond the housing complex itself. Completed in 2024, the development exemplifies how contemporary specialist housing can balance accessibility requirements, cost efficiency in regional delivery, and genuine integration within community contexts. As Project Architect, Carey Landwehr worked alongside Ben Inman and Jae Seccul across design development and documentation throughout all project phases, contributing to partnership-based social housing delivery within regional Australia's particular constraints and opportunities.