Tamar Court, Assisted Living
- Client
- Alliance Homes
- Location
- Worle, Weston-super-Mare
- Project Leaders
- Claire Samuel Jim Hayles Andy Tansill
- Size
- 65 units and daycare
- Value
- 9.5M
Challenge
The partnership between Alliance Homes and North Somerset Council, established a complex brief for an affordable, rented, Extra Care development, capable of accommodating residents with early to severe forms of dementia, whilst also incorporating a council run ‘daycare’ dementia wellbeing centre. A courtyard garden, complete with an existing mature tree and centrally located home-zone activity rooms, provided a basis from which a dementia programme could be delivered.
The above brief changed with the rent cap in 2015 compelling Alliance Homes to reassess the tenancy arrangement resulting in 50% affordable rent and 50% of the apartments for shared ownership. This required swift action from the client, contractor, interior designer and Architect into developing a higher quality alternative fitting-out scheme, to meet shared ownership aspirations. The tenancy change has led to a younger demographic of resident, requiring a greater ability to manage their own future.
- Services
- Partners
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Alliance HomesNorth Somerset CouncilRydon Contractors
Gallery
Solution
The scheme incorporated the general principles of HAPPI 2; namely all residents have an area outside space, a significant proportion of corridors open at one side allowing natural light illumination, large glazed areas with low sills to maximise naturally lit apartment spaces, external and internal communal spaces with associated home-zones. The main entrance and the scheme’s central feature, is the structural framed glulam columns and beams, resulting in a dynamic communal space, without boundaries. This provides flexibility, serving a number of functions; reception/lounge area, meeting space, concert space and general concourse space. The scheme’s landscape design required the contractor to preserve a semi mature oak tree within the courtyard, intended as the central feature of the courtyard garden and pivotal to Quattro’s landscape design.
Attractive and accessible landscaped areas are also incorporated to the west and east of the building, providing secure wandering footways and allowing open views across the adjacent school playing fields.
The resulting building delivers excellent quality, adaptability and functionality where required, making the most positive of lifestyles possible for each resident.