Stock remodelling of older persons bedsit accommodation into 9 two bedroom and 12 one bedroom apartments.

The aim of the Haven House project was to design and build a minimum of 10 one-bed and 9 two-bed apartments. We provided the build as part of the refurbishment proposal, designed to retain the main load-bearing construction in order to limit cost as far as possible.

The proposals provided several refurbishment options, but in all cases the following strategy has been applied in order to provide a long-term sustainable solution:

• The apartments are laid out to accommodate as many of the DQS Homes and Community Agency standards and Lifetime Homes standards as possible
• This includes provision for accessible turning circles within the main habitable spaces, and wherever possible the provision of adequate space for a reasonable level of furniture and activities
• It also includes a provision for accessible bathrooms and a suitable level of kitchen storage and appliances.

We also created a series of layout variations to accommodate different lifestyle options. For example, we have provided:

• Apartments with open-plan kitchen and living areas and others with separate spaces
• Opportunities to create individual apartment entrances and thresholds, providing a welcoming entrance with a sense of arrival
• Flexible internal spaces which allow variations in furniture arrangements and room layout
• Modern fixtures and fittings, which best suit the aspiration of the generation coming into this type of accommodation
• A range of contemporary interior finishes, which move away from the archetypal image of sheltered accommodation. These will provide vibrant and attractive spaces whilst maintaining function and lifespan considerations.