Specialist Housing Portfolio
As architects, landscape architects and urban designers, we create award winning buildings, living landscapes and thriving urban spaces, using inventive design to solve real life challenges. Each of our projects is different but the driving force behind every one is the desire to create something that is inherently both beautiful and useful.
We have specialised in the design of housing since our founding in 1968, and continue to work on projects of all shapes and sizes across the country. We support the principle of inclusive design and have always had a particular interest in housing for older and more vulnerable people.
From our offices in London and Manchester, our urban designers, landscape architects and interior designers enable us to look holistically at all projects, providing the expertise to deal with both the macro scale masterplanning and micro scale detailing both inside and outside the buildings.
The practice co-authored the first HAPPI report, which proved to be a game-changer in the design of older people’s housing. More recently, we published Age Friendly Housing – a book embedding design principles and exploring their implications for our homes and communities. Our expertise also includes housing for people needing support in other ways, such as those with mental health difficulties, autism and physical disabilities, as well as homeless accommodation and youth hostels.
As well as designing new homes, we set standards and shape opinion within the sector. We regularly contribute to books, papers, guidelines and reports; have undertaken significant commissions for the HCA and DCLG, and produced design guides for local authorities and housing associations.
Working within the constraints of a tight urban plot, this scheme comprises 60 extra care homes within two new buildings, alongside integrated communal space. Being mindful that older people spend more time inside, the design is centred on the concept of bringing the outside in and all homes are dual aspect to provide views of the courtyards and neighbouring streets. Similarly, a new garden room offers a generous, light-filled communal space between the two courtyards, each of which has a different character to provide a range of physical and visual stimuli for residents.
“I never expected it to be as lovely as it is. My friends have all told me how lucky I am, and how they wish they were moving in too!� Beryl Goodhew, resident
Hazelhurst Court Lewisham, London Phoenix Community Housing
“The key to the success of obtaining planning, which was unanimous, was the close working relationship we enjoyed with the local community, the support and guidance from the planning and housing departments as well as the tripartite partnership between Hill, Hanover and AIHA.” Jamie Hunter, Development Director, Hill
Buccleuch House Hackney, London Hanover, Hill and Agudas Israel HA This unusual project involved working with three separate clients to provide new homes for three different communities: first time buyers, Orthodox Jewish families and older people who need extra care. Homes for the latter are designed specifically with their needs in mind – all are fully wheelchair accessible and many follow HAPPI recommendations with flexible open plan layouts. Glazed wintergardens provide more shelter than traditional balconies and an extra living space in cold weather, whilst residents can also enjoy shared space in a large communal lounge and two enclosed gardens.
The redevelopment of this military veterans’ care home includes a care home for 65 residents, including specialist dementia and nursing care provision; 25 extra care apartments, all with their own private external space; plus shared ancillary spaces and links to further communal accommodation. A new hub space will also enable the charity to offer a wider range of support services. The design concept is based on the historical fort – a symbolic wall enveloping the buildings whilst the wings of the care home and extra care apartments are arranged around a central landscaped courtyard.
“The need to expand our level of care is vital to meet the growing and changing needs of veterans, both now and in the future. Their needs are here now and will be for years to come.� Ty Platten, Chief Executive, Broughton House
Broughton House Salford, Greater Manchester Broughton House
Whiteley Village Weybridge Whiteley Village Trust Investments As part of our work at this retirement village, we have designed a new care hub to deliver more public, social and health spaces and a ground breaking model of residential care. A cafĂŠ is housed within a distinctive octagonal glazed pavilion linked to a more traditional form of building with therapy and consulting rooms. To the rear lies the residential care element, designed as two households of 15 rooms each clustered around an open kitchen, eating and living space with an outdoor terrace and wide veranda.
“The new care hub marks the start of the next chapter in the history of Whiteley Village. The addition of new facilities from which we can deploy upto-date clinical care will further enhance life for people today and in the future.� Chandra McGowan, Chief Executive, The Whiteley Homes Trust
This scheme provides an integrated complex for Jewish Care, bringing together a day centre; residential care home for dementia sufferers; extra care home for Holocaust survivors and offices for the charity, all arranged around a high quality landscape courtyard. This works to unify all of the different elements and provide a sociable focal point. The landscape team also extensively researched dementia to create a private and peaceful space especially for these residents, featuring a variety of stimulating sensory planting.
“The secret to the success of this complex building was getting the diagram right from the very beginning, putting the right uses in the right places, and then unifying them with the beautiful courtyard.� Irene Craik, Director
Maurice & Vivienne Wohl Campus Barnet, London Jewish Care
This project develops an underused suburban site to provide 60 new affordable homes for older people with varying care needs. Homes will meet HAPPI recommendations and be fully accessible and wheelchair adaptable, with sliding doors to assist those with mobility issues and large storage areas inside for wheelchairs and scooters. The apartments will blur boundaries between private and communal space to encourage residents to take ownership of shared areas and facilitate interaction. The large central courtyard will be an active focal point and feature planting beds, a greenhouse and shed to encourage gardening.
Dovedale Avenue Preston Community Gateway Association
Bampton Estate Lewisham, London Lewisham Homes This project expands the range of housing options available to over 60s in Forest Hill by developing around existing ten storey tower blocks to provide 100% socially rented, independent living accommodation. Our design sensitively responds to the geometry and massing of the context, as well as the opportunities offered by the area’s topography, to ensure a cohesive overall character is formed between the existing and the proposed buildings and landscape. Improvements will be made to the existing amenity space with new play provision, landscape design and road infrastructure to link everything together. A protected courtyard will also be created within the new building.
Coppice Wood Enfield, London London Borough of Enfield These design proposals for a new residential care home feature additional and improved facilities for the elderly and those with varying degrees of dementia and confusion. We have created space for 70 older people – doubling the number of residents, yet within a much improved environment. The home is arranged as two households with integrated welfare spaces, allowing residents to move without restriction between social and private spaces as they wish. Each household is also clustered around a small outside courtyard, to help with orientation for those with cognitive difficulties.
Age-friendly Housing: Future design for older people Co-authored by Julia Park and Jeremy Porteus, the book looks at mainstream provision too, suggesting that all new housing, and the wider public realm, should be age-friendly. Reflecting on the implications of changing demographics and lifestyles, and the increasing role of technology, the book includes insights from external contributors who, though their expert knowledge, help us think ahead and remind us that despite much to celebrate, there is no room for complacency.
Housing our Ageing Population: Panel for Innovation (HAPPI) This report considers how to best address the challenge of providing homes that meet the needs and aspirations of the older people of the future. A thirteen-member panel, chaired by Lord Best, was anchored by ourselves in conjunction with Pollard Thomas Edwards, working with Design for Homes. We organised the panel process, conducted background research and produced an in-depth report and series of case study films.
Other brochures Architecture Landscape Architecture Urban Design Arts Commercial Education Environmental Design Estate Regeneration Health Higher Education Historic Buildings Housing Public Realm
levittbernstein.co.uk
Version 2