Description:

Following changes to the Ofsted and CQC requirements we were appointed to develop a new purpose-built residential building at Chailey Heritage Foundation. The new standards require each resident to have a room of their own and the existing bungalow could not provide this.

For the Foundation to maintain operations at its current capacity the brief required a new residential unit for the young adults it supports. Each bedroom was to be provided with a fully accessible en-suite. Support spaces including a kitchen, medical preparation room and managers office were also required along with a visitor room and a shared assisted bathroom.

Given the sloping nature of the site the building was arranged over 2 floors. The changing ground levels meant level access can be provided to both floors. The main concept was to array bedrooms around a central living / dining space. Support spaces were clustered together and positioned to one side of the plan.

We developed the building form to suit the surrounding context, featuring brickwork walls and a hipped roof. However, to distinguish it as a modern addition, several key design decisions were made. Firstly, the roof material is to be standing seam zinc. This matches the other recent additions across the site such as the DREAM Centre. Secondly, the locally sourced multi stock brickwork panels were to be broken up with some feature detailing. Lowered window cills provide accessible amenity for the residents and coloured panels add interest and help identify each room.

Having designed the scheme to accommodate 12 bedrooms we subsequently revised the designs to provide a smaller level of accommodation to suit changes in the available funding. The scheme was awarded planning permission towards the end of 2022.