Retirement Living
Designed by Hampshire based architecture firm Ayre Chamberlin Gaunt this competition entry for a new retirement village in Bishop's Waltham is a new concept for retirement living. The dense woodland located to the south of the site provides a natural boundary and form for the lodges to follow. Clusters of lodges fan out along this swathe of woodland and the site boundaries, positioned so that each dwelling has a southern or westerly outside space and filled with light. Central to the site is a village green, comprising of a glade, pond, reed beds and raised communal banks of herbs, onto which the lodges look. From this central space a number of meandering paths extend out into the site., 'encouraging exploration and activity', whilst also connecting to the locality. Dwellings comply with the 'Lifetime Homes' criteria and the principles of 'HAPPI'.
This precedent is particularly relevant to my project on a number of levels, the community space and the provision of living spaces for the older generations. The ecology of the site is preserved by the retention of the woodland and the inclusion of the village green.
References:
Ayre Chamberlin Gaunt (n.d) Retirement Living Competition [online] Available from: http://acgarchitects.co.uk/project/retirement-living-competition/ [Accessed 15th Octpber 2015]