Surface solutions from Laminex were used extensively for the fit-out of Bupa’s new 115-bed aged care facility in Wodonga.
Offering the perfect combination of quality of life as well as quality of surroundings, Bupa Wodonga sought to create an inspiring living environment that would also meet the practical needs of its residents.
Bupa engaged the services of B2 Property Solutions, a specialist provider of design and fit-out solutions for the aged care and retirement living segments. Having worked on several Greenfield and renovation projects for Bupa, the company was aware of the goals and challenges faced for the new home.
Kate Bereford-Banks, designer at B2 Property Solutions explains that every design element of an aged care home must be carefully contemplated and planned to ensure it is elderly-friendly, and at the same time the elements need to come together as a whole to provide a warm and comforting atmosphere.
A key design challenge was to use commercial finishes that didn’t look institutional, yet still delivered on the demanding performance requirements and durability as well as budgetary considerations.
Having worked with Laminex products for more than 20 years, B2 Property Solutions knew its portfolio of surface solutions would meet the aesthetic, functional and cost requirements for specific spaces throughout the home. Kate points out that the Laminex and Formica product ranges offer a lot more options for colour, board and finishes.
To create visual and tactile interest, the project required surfaces with a variety of patterns, colours and textures.
Highlights of the Bupa Wodonga design and fit-out project:
- Laminex Laminate in Husk from the Laminex Colour Palette chosen for its natural linear design for wardrobe doors and the head and foot of 30 beds
- Laminex Squareform benchtops Pure Mineral Salt and Brook Pebble with softly rounded square edges used for the reception area, staff kitchens, desktops and vanities in more than 80 bathrooms
- Benchtops feature underside drip-grooves to channel water spillage away from the surface and kitchen cupboards, avoiding nasty messes
- Laminex ColourTech doors coated in a technologically advanced 2 Pac polyurethane paint selected for the cabinetry
- Formica decorated board in Warm White used for shelving in linen cupboards
- Formica decorated board in Doe Skin applied as bedheads for 30 beds
- Laminex decorated boards in Oyster Linea used as head and foot boards for 90 beds
The range of surface solutions available from a single source and excellent value for money were two key reasons for B2 Property Solutions to specify a great deal of Laminex and Formica products. Kate also appreciated the support received from the Laminex throughout to meet the unique requirements of the project.
Completed in November 2011, the project was shortlisted as a finalist in the 2012 Australian Interior Designs Awards (AIDA), an achievement General Manager of Marketing for Laminex, George Bej believes is a tribute to the company’s forward-thinking design approach.
