Supported Housing
This site, within a conservation area, was occupied by a converted 2-storey house built in the 1900s and a block of flats believed to have been built in the 1970s.
The house is reminiscent of the Arts and Crafts Movement but the flats had no redeeming architectural qualities which warranted retaining them. They were too small, did not meet current design standards / legislation, had too many shared facilities and, therefore, were no longer fit for purpose.
The proposal was to remodel the existing house and demolish the two blocks of flats, replacing them with new blocks built on the existing footprint. This would provide increased office space, a suitable environment for therapeutic services, communal facilities and 15 new self-contained flats with one wheelchair flat and a platform lift to link the floors.
The new front block reflects the character of its setting and blends into its surroundings. It respects the features of the original house and the surrounding properties without directly replicating them.
A glazed link provides separation between the existing house and the new development and helps to provide a ‘stand alone’ feel. A single storey, unimposing structure is used to link the front and rear blocks.