Programme: Cork County
WHO Theme: Housing
Cost: 10000+
Status: Completed
Description
The project is a collaboration between Cork County Council and Charleville Care Project. It forms part of an expansion of a larger campus run by Charleville Care Project who provide accommodation and care for elderly residents with varying levels of need. The development consists of 9no. accessible one bed bungalows arranged around a central landscaped courtyard space off Love Lane in Charleville town centre. The scheme is designed to create a high-quality secure, space for elderly people to live independently within the community.
Aim of Initiative
The aim of the initiative is to provide a high quality, future proofed, safe and supportive environment for elderly people to live securely and within a community while also maintaining their own independence. Locating the scheme is the centre of the town and an existing support network was very important. This ensures the residents can stay connected, live well as they age and maintain their independence for longer while staying in their own homes. Each unit incorporate features such as level access entrance points, wet rooms and extra-large circulation spaces in case of a requirement for extra mobility aids. Everything can be accessed from one level. Each house has their own private outdoor space but also overlooks a central enclosed amenity courtyard where residents can meet and socialise. It contains benches, planting and a water feature to enhance the quality of the public space. This passive surveillance, in addition to well considered public lighting, gated access and an emergency response system fitted to all units helps people balance the feeling of being independent but also supported.
Who is it aimed at
The initiative is aimed at elderly people generally over the age of 65 who are in relatively good health, mobile and independent. They are also required to be on the Housing Waiting List.
3 Steps critical to success
- Good planning and organisation- A project of this scale takes several years and people to move from an idea to a reality. The idea conception started with Charleville Care Project. Following this, good planning and organisation was required to develop the project in the pursuit of funding, relevant permissions and setting up a partnership with Cork County Council to ultimately procure a design team and manage the design and construction to completion.
- Locating the project within the community- For a project of this nature, success depends on connectivity going into the future. The project needs to be located in the right environment and well manged after occupation to ensure it lives up to it’s original aspirations. Locating the scheme adjacent to the existing Charleville Care Project Campus as an extension of this but also the town itself is the key to it’s success. The site is the result of a couple of parcels of land acquired over time and combined to create one larger plot by demolishing houses, sheds and boundaries. Access by foot to the local library, church, shops, post office etc. provides key lifelines to allow independence and support.
- Creating a robust and detailed brief for the design and plan for management after occupation- The success of this projects execution is largely a result of clarity around the initial brief and communicating of same so that all parties involved had a clear idea of what the finished product needed to be. This was informed by years of experience from Charleville Care Project and Cork County Council working on projects of a similar nature. Forward thinking to ensure that all the small details were considered from use to maintenance allow a smoother day to day management and as such a more pleasant living environment for the residents. This includes reducing maintenance by smart selection of landscaping, ensuring all areas are well lit, designing in service areas for bins, allowing sufficient outdoor taps and lights etc.
3 Challenges in Planning / Delivery
- The site for the development had many constrains which needed to be overcome including substantial level changes to ensure fully accessibility, existing contaminants associated with a brown filed site such as the presence of asbestos and stringent planning constraints around ensuring the development was in keeping with the existing context.
- Due to the nature and scale of the project and the associated timeline that spanned a number of years, and two organisations in partnership, there were many parties to consider, keep up to date and consult with. This required constant and clear communication to ensure the project maintained momentum and developed efficiently.
- In the current climate, in the context of high material and labour costs and a housing crisis there is much pressure to ensure numbers were maximised and value for money was achieved while ensuring a very high quality product was produced.
3 Outcomes / Benefits
- Provide a safe and supportive environment for elderly people to live in the community independently.
- Develop an environment that is fit for purpose and current use but also allows space for future proofing to allow people to stay in their homes for longer and live happier more fulfilled lives with dignity and respect.
- Deliver a fully compliant, high quality finished product that is sustainable, accessible, and cost efficient to run.
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