Universal & Age Friendly designed houses at Rowlestown, Co. Dublin

Description

A new social housing scheme within the rural village of Rowlestown, Co. Dublin completed by Fingal County Council Architects Department in 2020. The project includes:
– 26no. new social houses (16no. of which are adaptable for universal and age friendly design with ground floor bedrooms & accessible showers).
– A new public open space facing and connecting onto existing community infrastructure, defining a new civic realm for Rowlestown village.
This scheme was featured in RTÉ Supergarden 2020 with several gardens designed and developed over the series.

Aim of Initiative

The aim of this project is to provide new social housing to address the existing social housing need/demand in the area, and to provide several universal & age friendly adaptable homes.

Who is it aimed at

Many of these homes have been allocated to older/downsizing tenants or have been specifically adapted for tenants with special needs on the social housing waiting list.

3 Steps critical to success

1. Developing the social housing scheme design from the initial housing brief, taking into consideration site constraints, the development plan, latest DHLGH standards and guidelines, and obtaining DHLGH funding approval for the project.
2. Developing the design and obtaining Part XI approval (planning permission) for the overall social housing scheme.
3. During construction stage on site tenants with bespoke / specific needs are allocated a unit within the development. Adaptations and adjustments are made based on the specific needs of the tenant using Occupational Therapist (OT) reports and in consultation with the tenant.

3 Challenges in Planning / Delivery

1. Social housing projects take a minimum of 2.5 years from initial inception to completion this is challenging when trying to envision the potential / specific needs of future tenants.
2. DHLGH capital funded projects require Occupational Therapist (OT) reports at the start of projects for approval of additional areas and specification which exceed the DHLGH’s guideline sizes and Employer’s Requirements specification. This is challenging given the overall timeframe for delivery of construction projects and in providing bespoke designs solutions for tenants with specific needs.
3. In general, a tenant’s specific needs are only confirmed during construction. This is challenging if there are any alterations which may require revised planning permission, or if additional funding is required as there is currently no mechanism to apply for additional funding at construction stage. To address these issues adaptable social housing units must be generic Universal Design (UD) to allow for easy adaptation for the greatest range of possible needs.

3 Outcomes / Benefits

1. 26no. new social houses (16no. of which are adaptable for universal and age friendly design with ground floor bedrooms & accessible showers).
2. A new public open space facing and connecting onto existing community infrastructure, defining a new civic realm for Rowlestown village.
3. This scheme was featured in RTÉ Supergarden 2020 with several gardens designed and developed over the series.