Nikki Beckman

Nikki is a qualified and registered Architect with over 16 years’ experience in the briefing, design, and research of social infrastructure projects across seniors living and residential care communities, education spaces, and healthcare environments – both nationally and internationally. Nikki’s inclusive and broad skill base, and her high aptitude and interest for learning, is matched by a passion for deep enquiry and consumer advocacy to inform design excellence and equality across the social services sectors.

She fosters partnerships and collaborative opportunities intersecting practice, industry and research to inform better practice, improve design and operational outcomes, with the ultimate aim to optimise the experiences of all who live, work and learn within residential aged care communities.

Nikki is doing her PhD with Deakin University, examining the central role of space in residential aged care from a sociospatial perspective. She talks about creating environments that enable retraining, rehabilitation and learning, beyond being a place of comfort and care. Nikki believes design should strive for outcomes where “we are able to encourage residents and consumers of age services to be far more stimulated, to spark creativity and curiosity, and to have much more dynamic engagements with the environment.” <<Watch her presentation on this topic>>