ViaStrada designed the internal roads for Nazareth House, a retirement village and healthcare complex in the Christchurch suburb of Sydenham. The brief was to create a slow speed environment where drivers felt like guests, so that elderly residents walking along or crossing the roads felt safe. The majority of trips around the site will be by residents and their guests walking about, the client wanted a street environment that reflected this. Although the unique road design focused on people walking, it also had to function as a road for residential and commercial access and parking.
There is no kerb and channel, and the footpath and road are differentiated by colour and texture. There are no typical intersections, therefore drivers feel they are in unfamiliar territory where their size and speed does not dominate the environment.
The 'at-grade' or level surfaces make it very convenient and accessible for the residents to walk in and out of their homes to their unique street environment.