To design a new forward thinking 70-bed care home that specialises in dementia care and provides a home from home living experience for residents, alongside 22 extra care apartments that dovetail with the care home to provide independence and to be part of the caring community.
This progressive care home has been designed for ‘small families’ living, with each ‘family’ made up of around 10 bedrooms that share a living and dining area, quiet snug and an external terrace. Residents have safe free flow access to open-air terraces and outdoor spaces on all four floors bringing an increased connection with nature that creates untold benefits, yet is unusual for a care home. Activity spaces on each floor add to residents’ stimuli and enrichment. It has been strikingly designed as ‘linked pavilions’ with tiers and roof terraces to reduce the impact on its surroundings.
The 1 and 2 bedroom extra care apartments have features to break up the mass of would be long linear elevations through the clever use of glazing, balconies, terraces, and construction materials. Ground floor apartments have access to outside space, with the rest adorned with balconies. The upper floor offers shared terrace space and sedum roofs. The facilities enjoyed by the care home are open to the apartments, meaning an independent but enriched life can be maintained. Set within a peaceful and tranquil parkland setting, with shopping facilities merely metres away with little gradient, it really is the perfect location for this caring community.
