How the Aged Care Act 2025 Is Reshaping Aged Care and Healthcare Design

The full implementation of the Aged Care Act 2025 is accelerating a major shift in how aged care and healthcare facilities are designed across Australia.

For architects, developers and specifiers, the changes go well beyond compliance. The Act reinforces a move toward environments that prioritise dignity, autonomy and wellbeing, while still meeting increasingly complex safety, accessibility and regulatory requirements. As a result, key decisions around building form, vertical living and access to outdoor spaces are now being made much earlier in the design process.

A new baseline for aged care design

The Aged Care Act 2025, alongside the National Aged Care Design Principles and Guidelines (2024), has reset expectations for new developments.

Facilities are now expected to support independent living, privacy and freedom of movement, while offering access to outdoor areas, balconies and courtyards. This has accelerated the shift toward biophilic design, intergenerational models and home-like environments – particularly in medium- and high-density developments responding to land constraints and urban growth.

Designing for vertical and higher-density living

As urban density increases, more aged care facilities are being designed as multi-storey buildings, bringing new challenges around safety and building performance.

Balconies, windows and shared outdoor spaces must allow residents to enjoy fresh air and natural light, while also meeting fall prevention and safety requirements. Increasingly, these considerations are being resolved alongside façades, glazing and ventilation strategies, rather than treated as secondary design elements.

Responding to dementia and evolving care needs

Design is also being shaped by the growing number of Australians living with dementia.

Facilities are increasingly incorporating dementia-friendly principles such as clear sightlines, access to nature and calming, familiar spaces. These considerations influence apartment layouts and building envelopes, reinforcing the importance of safety measures that are unobtrusive and respectful rather than restrictive.

Performance-led design in practice

The Churches of Christ Lady Small Haven Retirement Village at Benowa on the Gold Coast is a strong example of how these principles are being applied.

Designed as an integrated seniors’ living community, the development includes multi-storey independent living apartments, assisted living units and single-storey cottages, supported by shared amenities and landscaped outdoor spaces. The Green Star–rated project places a strong emphasis on sustainability, resident wellbeing and long-term performance, with apartments opening to the outdoors through generous windows that maximise light and natural ventilation.

Looking ahead

The Aged Care Act 2025 makes it clear that aged care and healthcare facilities must be designed around the lived experience of residents, not just minimum compliance.

As Australia’s population continues to age and urban density increases, the most successful projects will be those where safety, access to the outdoors and building performance are seamlessly integrated into the architecture. Thoughtful, early design decisions will be key to creating environments that support dignity, independence and quality of life well into the future.