Working with a major London NHS trust, we identified an underused and poorly planned area of their campus, giving an opportunity to improve their care provision.

We developed designs for a purpose built Alzheimer's Village, a new healthcare concept developed in Scandanavia, creating a community where patients can continue with their daily activities without being in an instiutional environment. As well as living accommodation, there is a 'village centre' of cafe, shops and hairdressers, a safe and recognisable environment for Alzheimer's sufferers.

We developed a design where every space is linked to an outdoor landscaped area, either courtyards or larger gardens, providing plently of natural light and creating a pleasant village environment. Principles of orientation and light shape the layout to create sheltered lounge and courtyard spaces. The living accommodation is clustered around a shared social area and family room, where residents can socialise and feel ownership over a familiar environment.

The living accommodation is designed to comply with all regulations, as well as maintaining a pleasant, homely environment. Each resident's door has an adjacent 'memory window' where they can place pictures or objects to identify their space. The rooms have a generous window seat and dedicated desk area with further window, connecting to the outdoors.