Skip to content
Quattro Design Architects
Gloucester 01452  424234
London 020 4542 5678
Cardiff 029 2274 5925
Gloucester 01452  424234
London 020 4542 5678
Cardiff 029 2274 5925
  • Architectural Services
    • Architecture
      • Building Information Modelling (BIM)
      • Design Services
      • Feasibility Studies
      • Interior Design
      • Technical Design (RIBA Stages 4-6)
      • View Service
    • Sustainable Design
      • Low Carbon Design
      • Passivhaus Architecture
      • View Service
    • Collaboration
      • Community Consultation
      • Design & Build
      • Developer Led
      • View Service
    • Planning
      • Masterplanning
      • Planning Applications
      • Planning Consultancy
      • Premises Development Plans
      • View Service
    • Project Management
      • Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) 2022/23
      • Contract Management
      • Lead Consultant (Project Lead)
      • Principal Designer
      • View Service
    • Historic Buildings & Conservation
      • View Service
    • Landscape Architecture
      • View Service
    • Visualisation
      • View Service
  • Projects
    • Education
    • Healthcare
    • Housing
    • Later Living & Care
    • Leisure & Hospitality
    • Commercial & Mixed Use
    • Sustainability
  • Studio
    • Why Quattro
    • People
    • Careers
    • Accreditations, Affiliations and Frameworks
  • Insights
  • Contact
Home/Insights/Wellbeing in Later Living Design – Our Responsibility

22 June 2021

Wellbeing in Later Living Design – Our Responsibility

Good design is a responsibility. It has the power to transform lives – for the better.

It’s World Wellbeing Week 2021,  promoting awareness of the different aspects of people’s wellbeing, such as social, physical, emotional, community and environmental wellbeing. This resonates with our Later Living & Care Home Architects where the wellbeing of elderly residents is at the forefront of our design.

In touch with the latest research across the UK, our Specialist Later living Architects are fully conversant with design regulations and latest innovations, producing Care Home Design which is at the forefront of Later Living Architecture.

Foremost in our minds, and a driving factor for project success, is that our residential care home designs are homes. Human-centred design is at the heart of all our work.

Covid has highlighted more than ever, how vulnerable elderly residents can be when it comes to isolation. In addition to designing homes at Quattro, we also strive to create communities.  A strong sense of community encourages a sense of home and importantly – belonging.

Generous internal community spaces, plenty of natural light, circulation and covered outdoor spaces are standard. However, by embracing and applying Housing our Ageing Population Panel for Innovation (HAPPI) principles we can go one step further to ensure that in addition to this, the needs of residents are genuinely met, and designs are adaptable for future changing demands.

We invited Andy Tansill, Director and Later Living Team Leader, to reflect on these aspects of wellbeing within Quattro’s Care Home Designs.

“HAPPI principles ensure residents feel part of a wider community and our Care Home Designers ensure social inclusion and intergenerational opportunities underpin our design, helping to safeguard wellbeing. Enabling independence and encouraging connection and a sense of community are important drivers for our Care Home Design.”

At Quattro, other Key Design Features that promote Wellbeing include:

  • Access to green spaces
  • Increased lighting levels in certain areas and natural daylight wherever possible
  • Acoustics insulation and acoustic clarity
  • Providing natural ventilation
  • Wayfinding pathways to increase spontaneous social interactions
  • Recreational spaces for a community dialogue
  • Private residential areas with private balconies as well as shared areas with communal garden spaces – seen with Amber Wood – allow residences to flourish independently whilst avoiding possible isolation.

We combine the specialist demands of individual projects, with the wellbeing of future residents. With specific attention to accessibility and adaptability; we create highly supportive environments, barrier free, promoting independence and autonomy, not control.

Evolving influence of HAPPI design principles

In recent years, the over 55’s have been influenced by such appealing design, recognising the wider benefits of housing schemes designed with wellbeing at its core. This has helped to, address local housing shortages as downsizing becomes a more attractive option  freeing up larger homes inhabited by the older generation. It also reinforces an issue raised in HAPPI 3; housing initiatives need to focus on the older population as well as the young.

More recently, HAPPI is looking to the wellbeing of people living with Dementia. A report from an inquiry by the APPG on Housing and Care for Older People, calls for HAPPI principles to now be updated to incorporate ‘Dementia-ready’ features to ensure wellbeing for Dementia residents.

You can read more on our Dementia wellbeing specialist services here.

Related Projects:

Tamar Court, North Somerset – Assisted Living/Extra Care Home

View Project about Tamar Court, North Somerset – Assisted Living/Extra Care Home

Amber Wood, Staffordshire – Care Home & Dementia Centre of Excellence

View Project about Amber Wood, Staffordshire – Care Home & Dementia Centre of Excellence

Aberdare, Maesyffynnon, Rhondda Cynon Taf – Assisted Living /Extra Care Home

View Project about Aberdare, Maesyffynnon, Rhondda Cynon Taf – Assisted Living /Extra Care Home

Tamar Court, North Somerset – Landscape Architecture

View Project about Tamar Court, North Somerset – Landscape Architecture

Trinidad House, Dorset – Over 55’s Development

View Project about Trinidad House, Dorset – Over 55’s Development

Leiden Road, Oxford – Affordable Homes & Supported Housing

View Project about Leiden Road, Oxford – Affordable Homes & Supported Housing
View All Projects
Amberwood, Burton, dementia centre entrance interior
Later Living Assisted Living Tamar Court
Trinidad Dorset interior
Berrington court, Kidderminster, balcony view
Interior corridor
Berrington court Kidderminster courtyard
Maesteg Bridgend dining area
Lakeview Northampton garden
Quarry House, Fishponds, Bristol, Indoor Swimming Pool
Assisted living care home exterior area
Amberwood Burton dementia centre Burton-on-Trent facilities
Previous Article
Next Article

Have a project in mind?

Gloucester: 01452  424234

London: 020 4542 5678

Cardiff: 029 2274 5925

info@quattrodesign.co.uk

    Quattro Design Architects

    35+ years delivering Sustainable Architecture across the U.K. At Quattro, we design Architecture for the people who will benefit from the places and spaces we create. Our designs excite and inspire, regularly exceeding expectation. Sustainability, Collaboration and Social Value lie at the heart of our work.

    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • Linkedin
    • Architecture
    • Collaboration
    • Historic Buildings & Conservation
    • Landscape Architecture
    • Planning
    • Project Management
    • Sustainable Design
    • Visualisation
    • Education
    • Healthcare
    • Housing
    • Later Living & Care
    • Leisure & Hospitality
    • Commercial & Mixed-Use
    • Why Quattro
    • People
    • Careers

    Regional Offices

    info@quattrodesign.co.uk

    Gloucester (Head Office)

    01452  424234

    London

    020 4542 5678

    Cardiff

    029 2274 5925

    Contact Us
    RIBA Chartered Practice
    Constructionline
    CIOB
    AECB
    • Accreditations, Affiliations & Frameworks
    • ISO 45001
    • ISO 9001
    • ISO 14001
    • CRP
    • Certified Privacy and Cookies Policy
    • Accessibility Statement
    • Company Registration Number 4767576