Housing Typologies for Later Life

Cloister - extra-care apartment (lift-accessed)

2 bedroom corner apartment layout76 m² / 821 sq feet

1 bedroom apartment layout60 m² / 642 sq feet

After his wife died,

managing on his own at home.

setting supports him to live independently and he gets on well with the couple who live next door.

Widower

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Open plan ‘studio’ arrangement

Wheelchair storage and

charging

Separate

Large living /dining space

By removing the storage wall and adding a couple of partitions, this

formal arrangement.

The winter garden enables her to sit out

hobby of growing tomatoes.

comfortable sleeping separately so use the second room as a bedroom. Mary also uses a wheelchair due to her chronic fatigue.

With all of the rooms, and door openings already designed for wheechair dimensions, the process of converting the apartment to be fully accessible has been relatively straightforward.

As she began to become more forgetful and confused, Kate (73) was

apartment.

family to help open up the layout into

rooms were brighter and she could move around more freely.

She has also had a doorway opened directly to the shower room.

dedicated space to store his mobility aids in the apartment mean that he will still able to live independently for some time yet.

Despite his mobility problems he is still very active and wanted somewhere to sit separately to read and use his computer. His family have helped to convert the winter garden into a small study space.

the bedroom to the shower room

Space for movement around

furniture

Additional care + support needs

Wheelchair adapted

Interior view of main living space

Technical brief(based on indicative site layouts opposite)

Units of accomodation 40 - 60 apartments (depending on layout and brief)

Indicative communal facilities

Multi-purpose activity room, hairdressing salon, café/ bistro, launderette.

Indicative site area 1.08 ha

Indicative density 37-55 dwellings / ha

36 resident spaces (private)12 shared space (visitor)

Typical dwelling 60 m² (2 room apartment)76 m² (3 room apartment)

Accessibility standard(Building Regs Part M)

M4(3) (Wheelchair adaptable)

Key precedents Pilgrim Gardens, LeicesterPRP Architects

PRP ArchitectsHoughton Regis Extra-careMae Architects

Cloister (extra-care) design brief

Design problem

The term ‘extra-care’ is typically used to describe purpose-built

communal facilities for residents (potentially shared with the wider community) and additional space for the management of on-site care and support services.

Common design problems include the ‘institutional feel’ associated with extra-care housing, and the successful integration of schemes within a wider neighbourhood context.

Design brief - key drivers

extra-care housing;

Designing schemes in a way that can attract external/ community use of facilities (where community use is part of the concept);

Minimising long internal corridors to reduce travel

Avoiding an ‘institutional’ feel (both in terms of building

Providing adequate daylight and ventilation to dwellings by avoiding double-loaded arrangements;

Designing dwelling layouts to be adaptable to the changing physical mobility needs of residents as they age in place;

Designing dwellings in a way that provides space for contemplation and ‘escape’ (alongside everyday functional/ utility requirements);

Cloister - extra-care apartments

Indicative site layouts showing extra-care apartments in a 2 storey block with communal facilities at ground level.

2-sided courtyards Single enclosed courtyard 3-sided courtyards

Incidental interaction across shared courtyard garden

Key