Wilsher Village

Affordable homes that people can still move around in as they age are in short supply in Auckland, and the need keeps growing. Eke Panuku, Auckland Council's development arm, built Wilsher Village on a vacant Henderson site to help meet it, its first pensioner-housing project in more than twenty years.

The four-storey building holds 40 one-bedroom apartments designed around how its residents actually live. Everything is set up for staying mobile, level shower entries, a wide wheelchair-friendly lift, ramped parking, and switches and fittings within easy reach, with mobility-scooter parking and charging in each unit. It is built for company too, well-lit hallways with rest areas to stop and talk and shared spaces to gather, so residents can stay independent and connected.

RCP managed the design, procurement and delivery for Eke Panuku. Environmental measures raised with mana whenua during consultation were built into the design, permeable concrete and planting to slow stormwater and protect the local streams and birdlife. Rainwater is recycled for flushing and gardens, and double glazing and a shared hot-water system earned the building a Homestar 7 rating while holding running costs down.

Wilsher Village opened in 2019, giving its residents homes they can grow old in without leaving Henderson, and a model for the council housing that comes after it.