The Alba
Fender Katsalidis designed and delivered The Alba, Stage 2 of the Albert Retirement Living Community Precinct. The Alba provides 95 residential aged care (RAC) suites and 60 assisted living apartments (ALA), offering a range of low and high care for residents.
Location
Melbourne, Australia
Client
Australian Unity
Cost
Confidential
GFA
17,800sqm
Completion
2023
Traditional Custodians
Bunurong Boon Wurrung peoples
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Australian Apartment Advocacy Awards for Excellence - National, Winner - Ageing in Place, 2024
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Australian Apartment Advocacy Awards, Winner - Apartment Award for Excellence in Ageing in Place, 2024
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Property Council of Australia Innovation & Excellence Awards, Finalist - Procore Award for Development Innovation, 2024
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ArchitectureAU, Commendation - Social Impact, 2024
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The Urban Developer Awards for Industry Excellence, Finalist - Excellence in Industry Leadership, 2024
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The Urban Developer Awards for Industry Excellence, Finalist - Development of the Year - Retirement, Aged Care and Seniors Living , 2024
Like it’s neighbouring building The Grace, The Alba provides residents with the choice of aging in place within the precinct. The internal layout focuses on fostering human connection and socialisation to promote wellness and the well-being. A café in the lobby, designed by Sibling Architecture, allows residents of The Grace and The Alba to interact with each other and the greater Albert Park neighbourhood.
Communal areas are strategically distributed throughout the vertical design of the building for convenience and for easy access for residents and caregivers.
Ancillary services such as a commercial kitchen, laundry and allied services support residents in the tower.
The assisted living apartments are located on the higher levels of the building with unimpeded views of the city, the Royal Botanical Gardens and Albert Park Lake. The rooftop level houses communal amenities such as the library, an art studio, an outdoor terrace and an a-la-carte private restaurant.
The adaptive reuse of AU’s former headquarters building into a residential building was a first of its kind in Australia and established a new benchmark for vertical aged care living.
