Specialist Disability Accommodation Project Management & Architecture Services

Grey Space are the go-to as SDA Project Managers as well as for design and development services. We manage and design projects exclusively for frail, disabled and vulnerable people and offer SDA and LHA Advisory and Audit services. Our experienced architects and technicians have a 100% track record in successfully meeting Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) requirements on our projects. We truly understand and value-add to this technically complex world and our aim is that you most efficiently and viably provide appropriate developments to the disability housing market.

Our numerous projects and rapidly growing reputation in the market offers you a professional, risk-minimized approach in a sector which demands design innovation, empathy and an extreme attention to detail and expertise in compliant Independent and Residential Care accommodation procurement. We offer a Design and Development Management process for individuals, developers and service providers to easily traverse the complexities of SDA development within the NDIS framework. Our service includes yield studies, financial feasibility modelling, design compliance audit services, construction documentation and full project management services. These services best suit the current market and funding regime, to provide solutions offering choice and diversity to residents and carers and to suit the site location and most attractive operational and financial offering.   All you need is a site which reflects your preferred approach, and we can guide you through the rest.

It goes without saying that Grey Space have significant expertise in designing and developing environments suitable for a High Physical Support category of resident, as well as for people with cognitive and behavioural challenges, based on our focus on Residential Aged Care environments which must cater appropriately to high levels of physically restrictive co-morbidities as well as dementia.

A Robust Design under NDIS SDA provisions refers to housing that has been designed for people with a high level of sensory and/or cognitive disability, and must be very resilient to minimise the likelihood of reactive maintenance and reduce the risk to the resident and the community. The SDA Robust design category is in extreme demand and we emphasise that the consumer and the NDIA sees most development of SDA being registered as High Physical Support, seemingly as a direct response to the perceived income rates vs the construction cost and yield potential in any given area. Vacancy rates are a real and important consideration and should also be considered in relation to demand when a site is selected and a category nominated as part of our brief.

The focus of delivering successful robust designs into the SDA market is to provide viable, appropriately maintainable and enabling living through a specialist understanding of needs, associated costs and minimum compliance requirements. Grey Space provide the following:

• Research and investment into design for cognitive care

• Significant experience in designing for disability, dementia and enablement

• Participation and engagement in numerous conferences, workshops and research into design for cognitive care

• High level understanding of materials, associated costs, their robustness and suitability for behavioral issues in care environments

• Detailed level of operational understanding and empathy for the carer, due to deep sector-dedicated knowledge and experience

• Understanding of the significant links between a suitable robust design and a calm and behavior-minimising outcome for people with high aggression, anxiety, confusion and threatening behaviors due to their disability

We combine the above with our market and construction experience.  This supports our commitment to every developer and operator client in relation to design, detail, materials, feasibility as well as long-term viability.  We offer both a deep and dedicated level of experience which informs an understanding of what the minimum compliance requirements are so that anything above that is by choice, through conscious suitability and functionality improvements.

The recent introduction of new Design Standards and the design registration and approvals process has added more surety to SDA projects and Grey Space staff have undertaken training in these design standards which when coupled with our experience in working through DA, Certification & Residential Care compliance requirements, provides our clients with the best risk management approach for SDA projects that any developer could want. Our network of consultants and providers is second to none.

By way of example of experience in this new and complex development class, Grey Space have provided SDA Design Assessment services at Murarrie x 6, Wynnum West x 6, Hamilton x 15, Yerongpilly x 1, South Brisbane x 2, Griffin x 2, Ormeau x 3, Ipswich x 2  and Thornlands x 3 to date, many of which have been designed as fully compliant SDA High Physical Support projects.

Familiarity with the cost-impacting detailed definitions of, and differences between the following at a detailed level, is a decent indicator of experience that few designers bring to the table:

• Community Residence

• DDA

• Fully Accessible vs High Physical Support

• SEPP Housing for Seniors or PWD

• AS1428, NCC provisions

• Universal Design, LHA, Adaptable Housing, AS1428.3

• NCC Classification requirements

• AS2890

Put your trust in us to minimize the risk of non-compliance and maximise your return, particularly when Commonwealth backed funding is at stake.

SDA HPS Apartments Sketch Design, Murarrie