Gyde is delighted to announce that our very own Hannah Collins, (Project Planner), has been published in the September 2025 edition of the Planning Institute of Australia’s New Planner Journal.
Hannah joined Gyde in 2024 while completing her Bachelor of City Planning (Honours) at UNSW. Her passion for diverse housing and co-located living continues to inspire her contributions to projects and thought leadership across the industry.
Her article, “A fit-for-purpose future: designing age-integrated communities for all generations”, tackles one of Australia’s most pressing challenges: how to plan housing that responds to both an ageing population and rising demand for childcare.
Hannah argues that “fit-for-purpose housing extends beyond merely providing shelter; it encompasses creating environments that actively support community wellbeing and social inclusion across all life stages.” She highlights purpose-built developments where aged care and childcare facilities are co-located, as a powerful model to achieve this.
These integrated spaces create meaningful interaction between generations, delivering wide-ranging benefits. For older adults, they reduce loneliness, boost cognitive function and provide a renewed sense of purpose. For children, they foster empathy, communication skills and more positive attitudes toward ageing. At the same time, intergenerational sites make more efficient use of land and infrastructure, supporting broader planning goals.
Despite these advantages, Hannah points out that existing planning systems often discourage such innovation. She notes that local planning documents rarely mention intergenerational integration, and that separate regulatory requirements for aged care and childcare make it difficult to combine them.
Western Sydney, she argues, is well placed to lead the way, with its diverse communities, rapid growth and strong caregiving traditions. Projects like Uniting Westmead, which successfully co-locates aged care, independent living and childcare, provide a valuable proof of concept.
Hannah concludes with a clear call to action for the profession: “Our mandate compels us to create environments that are truly ‘fit for people’… housing where generations not only co-exist, but genuinely thrive; creating stronger, more resilient communities for the future.”
This article originally appeared in New Planner – the journal of the New South Wales planning profession – published by the Planning Institute of Australia. For more information, please visit: https://www.planning.org.au/pia/news-resources/new-planner.aspx?hkey=25de7fcc-611b-43e5-b1f8-c53c0e91bf28
