We were part of a developer-led team that won the Kirklees Council competition to develop the site at Ashbrow in Huddersfield. The scheme orovides 160 new homes with a mix of dwelling types and tenures. We were brought on board to develop the extra care element of the proposal on account of our expertise in the field of specialist housing for later living.
We located the 50-unit extra care scheme adjacent to the site entrance. This makes the building a focal point for the overall development, for it is the intention that the wider community enjoy the benefit of the facilities on offer within the scheme.
The building takes the form of two apartment wings on either side of a central communal core. This form minimises travel distances from the apartments and puts the communal facilities at the heart of the development. The two wings are stone-faced with a pitched roof and are a mix of 2 and 3-storey, built into the site’s slope. In contrast, the central core is a single-storey, flat roof block, set in a prominent elevated position at upper ground level. Being single-storey allows the large open-plan communal area to have generous ceiling heights. Full-height windows and substantial roof glazing will allow natural light to flood in, animating the space. There are views right through the communal area to the landscaped gardens beyond.
