Guild Living

Location
Epsom
Concept Architect
Marchese Partners
Client
Morgan Sindall
Size
340 apartments (extra care / care suites)

Enhancing sector specific design and buildability through full design audit.

Stride Treglown was appointed by Morgan Sindall to undertake a Stage 3 Design Audit on proposals for an extra care scheme in Epsom for Guild Living. The scheme, by Marchese Partners, includes 306 extra care apartments and 28 dementia-focused care suites, wellness centre, restaurant, and other associated facilities.

The review looked to assess the design and buildability of the proposed scheme and offer variations and opportunities to help Guild Living achieve the best and most effective scheme and to assist in achieving a 80% cost certainty for Morgan Sindall.

One of the key criteria for the audit was assessing the design against sector specific design guidance such as HAPPI design principles and HousingLIN Extra Care Standards, whether it would achieve as a minimum CQC registration, and its compatibility with University of Stirling Dementia Design accreditation. We also reviewed whether the design would achieve the aspirational brief set out by Guild Living aligning with their ‘Ageing Better’ design principles.

The review highlighted the dementia focused care suites accessibility strategy and servicing needed further thought and consideration for the users in relation to best practice dementia design. Key risks and opportunities were outlined to improve the access strategy, communal areas, staff servicing and provision of communal facilities.

Morgan Sindall and Marchese Partners found the audit constructive and have since developed proposals to ensure the scheme meets these sector specific opportunities, alongside other technical and buildability findings, to achieve a high-quality and well-rounded extra care scheme.

Image © Guild Living