Buildtec’s set a new benchmark for building specialist disability accommodation (SDA) housing completing a unique villa project that’s believed to be a first for Adelaide. The villas are distinctive because they include accessible features which, until now, have only been found in apartment buildings. With our project partners Summer Housing and Tectvs, we’ve shown the SDA Design Standard for High Physical Support can be incorporated into traditional single level homes. There are two key benefits with this innovation. It creates a larger product mix for SDA housing and provides tenants with more choice over where they live.
The Idea For Accessible Villas
Under the Commonwealth Government’s National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), SDA housing is for people living with ‘extreme functional impairment or very high support needs’. Homes include accessible features to increase tenants’ independence and improve support quality and safety.
Buildtec’s been discussing the concept of developing and building single level villas that meet the SDA Design Standard for High Physical Support with leading NDIS accommodation provider Summer Housing for a while. We’ve been watching the SDA housing rental market closely in the eastern states and can see growing demand for villa accommodation.
Our Davis & Barnes development in Adelaide’s eastern suburbs created the opportunity for us to develop and build SDA villas for the first time. With 15 homes in the development, we had the flexibility to design three dwellings as High Physical Support SDA accommodation. The homes are owned by Summer Housing and rented out to NDIS participants.
The Appeal Of Building SDA Housing
We embarked on this SDA villa project with Summer Housing for a couple of reasons. Firstly, we were attracted to the idea of introducing a new product type to the Adelaide market. Secondly, we have the construction experience to confidently deliver. Buildtec has a strong track record in townhouse development and construction. Our commercial approach to projects achieves a higher quality product which is great for Summer Housing as the owner and for the NDIS participants who lease these homes.
Summer Housing saw the work we’re doing at Norwood Green, where the company’s also bought 11 High Physical Support SDA apartments, and felt we were the right partner for this pioneering project. The challenge for project Lead Architect, and Tectvs Director, Fran Bonato was to ensure the exterior of these SDA villas look like other homes in Davis & Barnes so tenants feel they’re living in an inclusive community.
Accessible and Robust SDA Housing Design
All three homes have everything you’d expect to find in a traditional villa. There’s a combined kitchen and living area, a bathroom, an enclosed rear courtyard, undercover parking and two bedrooms. The main bedroom is Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) compliant for disabled access if a tenant uses a wheelchair. There’s also a second carer’s bedroom if a tenant needs additional in-home support.
To meet the SDA Design Standard for High Physical Support, these homes also have a range of accessible features. These include adjustable kitchen and bathroom benches, adjustable toilet seats, oversized doors, side opening ovens and fire sprinkler systems. Robustness was also a key design consideration. Bespoke flooring and wall linings were chosen to help protect homes from any impact damage that may be caused by wheelchairs and other mobility aids.
The NDIS Assistive Technology to help tenants live independently and safely is another impressive feature of these villas. Each property has the capability for customised home automation and communication technology depending on each tenant’s needs. Windows can be opened by voice command, entry can be gained using swipe cards and tenants can speak with carers remotely.
SDA Housing Building Certification
Meeting the criteria for High Physical Support villas was a challenge we faced on this project. Buildtec Project Director Dan De Conno says the ‘design and specifications are not prescriptive’ when building SDA housing because some of the guidelines are open to interpretation. The project team overcame this challenge by working closely and collaboratively to achieve SDA compliance. Each home underwent a rigorous certification process. They were also inspected by independent NDIS assessor Warwick Gregg from Able Access Design to confirm they met the SDA Design Standard.
Feedback To The Finished Homes
Davis & Barnes is Summer Housing’s first villa project anywhere in Australia designed to meet the SDA Design Standard for High Physical Support. Summer Housing’s Property and Development General Manager Tim Scott says the company’s ‘proud’ of the outcome. Tim believes the villas ‘offer a sense of freedom and space that isn’t available in apartments’. The tenant feedback is pleasing too. Tim says they love having their own gardens and enjoy the high-quality design and finishes. With all three villas leased, Summer Housing now has a waitlist of people wanting SDA villa accommodation in South Australia. Tim notes there‘s ‘a lot of interest’ in this type of SDA housing especially among tenants who ‘don’t want to live in the city or an apartment’.
Innovation In SDA Housing
Building SDA housing is an exciting and rewarding space to work in. Project Lead Architect Fran thinks there’s ‘plenty of innovation still to be had on the automation side’. Fran’s seen the sector ‘evolve and become very sophisticated’ over the years and thinks SDA architecture is now ‘pretty well defined’. Fran believes there’s room for ‘real advances’ in technology to help tenants live with more dignity, pride and independence.
At Buildtec, we’re thinking carefully about the size of SDA villas and if share accommodation may help enhance a tenant’s wellbeing. One idea we’re considering is building six or eight bigger villas together with each home accommodating two tenants. Each community could have a dedicated dwelling for carers who provide support to tenants across the group. These larger villa designs may include double DDA compliant bedrooms, separate bathrooms and a couple of living areas. Based on feedback from Summer Housing, we may also look at increasing functionality with further design finesses.
The Future of SDA Housing
In conclusion, the Davis & Barnes SDA housing project is just the beginning for Buildtec. We agree with Project Lead Architect Fran who thinks these villas represent ‘a new paradigm’. This new way of thinking, combined with our townhome construction experience, means we’re increasing our presence in the disability housing sector. We’re already in talks with providers so expect more SDA housing projects from us in 2023.
Interested in partnering with Buildtec to build SDA housing in Adelaide? Contact us to discuss your next project.
Comments are closed.