Retuning Retirement.

Blair Parkinson on spaces that let the Vinyl Generation live louder, longer.

Forget everything you think you know about retirement living.

With over 1.5 billion people projected to be over 65 by 2050¹, this is one of the world’s fastest-growing demographics—and yet still one of the most misunderstood. The clichés persist: bingo nights, beige lounges, and medical cups on bedside tables. But the Vinyl Generation—post-war baby boomers and early Gen Xers raised on rock records, independence, and rebellion—has other ideas.

Retirement living must be reimagined, not constrained by the past but inspired by a future of considered precincts, resort-style amenities, and spaces that support aging in place with dignity and purpose.

It’s time to rethink what retirement living can be. Communities are now shaped around autonomy, connection, and the freedom to live well. Designed for the generation that turned rebellion into a lifestyle, they prioritise ease and self-direction.

Retirement living isn’t less, it’s more of what matters: access to healthcare, meaningful community, and spaces that reflect who you are. Downsizing, sure—but on your own terms. These are homes that carry through the best parts of your lifestyle while letting you age in place with confidence, comfort and maybe even a cocktail. What’s more rock and roll than that?

Gimme Shelter: Amenities to be envious of.

In this new age of retirement living, amenities are the headline act. Across the globe, communities now feature wellness centres, creative studios, gyms, cinemas, wine bars and more – reflecting a growing appetite for lifestyle and experience.

This shift speaks to more than changing tastes. It signals a broader shift towards environments that support mental acuity, social connection, and physical wellbeing. As demand grows², quality homes with vibrant amenities and strong community ties are increasingly sought after – not just by retirees, but by younger generations planning ahead³.

“Retirement living isn’t less, it’s more of what matters: access to healthcare, meaningful community, and spaces that reflect who you are.”

The future residents of St. Clare were influenced by Pink Floyd, David Bowie and Elton John. For such a quintessentially cool generation, the Speakeasy Bar is a relevant addition to the site.

The Vinyl Generation—post-war baby boomers and early Gen Xers raised on rock records, independence, and rebellion—have other ideas about retirement living.

At St Clare in Melbourne’s Kew, a premium retirement living precinct developed by for-purpose organisation VMCH, we reimagined a 16,000 sqm site as a precinct shaped by dignity, connection and sensory richness. The masterplan breaks the scale into a network of human-centred buildings, linked by open-air walkways, landscaped courtyards and a generous suite of resident amenities.

These include a wellness centre, cinema, library, greenhouse, community gardens, arts and craft studio, pool, gym, yoga/pilates studio, hairdresser, chapel, golf simulator, pool table lounge, business meeting rooms and multiple dining areas, both private and shared. Among them, the speakeasy-style bar offers a distinct experience. Tucked beneath the main dining area, it is low-lit, acoustically tuned and designed as a sensory shift — moving from day into dusk. Conceptualised around the Australian bush at night, it brings a different tone to the precinct: immersive, intimate and socially charged.

These aren’t just upgrades, they reflect a new approach to ageing in place. At St Clare, amenity is experience, designed around how people want to live, not just what they need. It’s part of a broader global shift toward places that support sharper minds, stronger connections and healthier bodies. The ambition is clear: create environments that age as well as the people who live in them.

“Ageing in place is neither a trend nor an ambition; it should be something we all have access to.”

You Can Go Your Own Way: Aging in place without constraint.

Ageing in place is neither a trend nor an ambition; it should be something we all have access to. In both the United States and Australia, a strong majority of older adults express this preference—93% of Americans aged 55 and over, and 68% of Australians would rather receive care at home than in a facility¹ ². The benefits are well documented: improved quality of life, greater autonomy, and stronger community ties³. It enables people to maintain routines and relationships, which are essential for mental and emotional wellbeing⁴.

The Vinyl Generation wants homes that support independence and adapt to changing needs without making those supports obvious. That means considered design: ovens at standing height, drawer-style dishwashers, easy-access cabinetry, wide corridors, and bedrooms generous enough for heirloom furniture or mobility aids. It’s practical, never clinical. At St Clare, these principles are quietly embedded. Design details reference the surrounding landscape, from the preserved white gums outside to the subtle botanical finishes within – creating a place that feels both grounded and future-ready.

Early concept sketch exploring integration into the landscape at St Clare (sketch by Peter Miglis)

The design of the residences was undertaken with ageing in place at the forefront of decision making, creating homes that can adapt to suit the needs of the owner without infringing on their aesthetic design qualities or spatial considerations.

50 percent of the St Clare site was retained as open space.

Here Comes the Sun: Biophilic design and integrated landscapes.

The integration of nature into residential design should never just be a token planter box by the door or window. Biophilic design—bringing the outdoors in—is embedded across retirement communities to reduce stress, support cognition, and enhance wellbeing. Australia’s 2021 Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety underscored the importance of environments that enrich mental and emotional health—principles that strongly align with biophilic design¹.

At St Clare in Kew and Winton’s new later living precinct in Arrowtown, New Zealand – Northbrook Arrowtown – biophilic thinking was embedded early. Daylight and fresh air are prioritised, with buildings oriented to maximise solar gain, natural ventilation, and views to green space. Outdoor areas are treated as essential infrastructure, offering places to move, gather or reflect.

At St Clare, landscaping is a continuous thread through the precinct, with edible gardens, tree-shaded courtyards and a central village green encouraging life outdoors. Importantly, 50 percent of the site was retained as open space, rather than being maximised for built form or apartment yield.

“The integration of nature into residential design should never just be a token planter box by the door or window.”

At Northbrook Arrowtown, the design is grounded in the distinctly New Zealand landscape. The site sits alongside Mill Creek at the base of a secluded valley that opens to the south and narrows toward a waterfall. The valley’s natural contours, textures and seasonal colours shape the architecture, with buildings arranged to follow the land and frame views of hillsides, water and forest. Integrated pathways gently trace the stream, connecting residential buildings with outdoor spaces for gardening, pet walking or quiet reflection. This immersive, landscape-led approach supports wellbeing by restoring a sense of connection to nature’s rhythms—light, season, scent and sound.

This immersive, landscape-led approach to design at Northbrook Arrowtown supports wellbeing by restoring a sense of connection to nature’s rhythms—light, season, scent and sound.

Encore: Living louder, longer.

The Vinyl Generation isn’t winding down. They’re curating the next chapter—one built on independence, identity, and intent. For designers, developers and thinkers, the brief is clear: create places that evolve with people. Make it beautiful. Make it flexible. Make it feel like home, but better.

Because getting older doesn’t mean less—it means more of what matters.

Northbrook Arrowtown has been designed to allow the valley’s natural contours, textures and seasonal colours shape the architecture, with buildings arranged to follow the land and frame views of hillsides, water and forest.

Blair Parkinson, Associate Principal.

Blair Parkinson is a Woods Bagot associate principal with over 15 years’ experience across residential, commercial, and mixed-use sectors in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Blair is currently leading the design and delivery of St. Clare – a retirement residence in Studley Park, embedded with design principles for dignity and ageing in place. As an advocate for the therapeutic benefits of biophilic design, Blair’s leadership on St. Clare incorporates evidence-based practices for integrating landscape and architecture for healthy, sustainable, and beautiful homes.

Media contact
Tess Dolan
Insights and Communications Leader – Global

Tess is Woods Bagot’s Global Insights and Communications Leader. Passionate about clarity, relevance and the creation of genuinely interesting content, Tess works with our innovators to create insights on the future of design, as applied to its impact on how we live, work, travel, play, learn, stay healthy and anything in-between. See Woods Bagot’s Insights for more.

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