Residential Care

ReardonSmith Architects started working in the specialist aged care sector in 2017 as we became aware of multiple sites within central London that could be suitable for care home use. This was primarily because of the site’s small scales and also often due to their residential nature and location.

Due to our extensive experience with specialist hotel planning we found that we naturally had the skillsets to resolve the complex fire-code, medical requirements along with the operational and access needs for aged care facilities. Also, our unique experience with high-end interior design meant that we could effortlessly incorporate best-practice hospitality design into a medical environment.

On investigation, we found that much of the care sector in the UK is limited in terms of their specialist interior design, as most have medical focused interiors or offer a standardised residential approach. Few have specialist interiors that combine the home’s operational needs with a hospitality-led design approach, where the interior design and architecture are seamlessly interconnected. For example, offering an up-scale hotel bedroom fit-out with a fully accessible shower-room and communal areas that emulate a quality hotel operation.

Due to the small scale development opportunities for specialist aged care within central London, design often requires performance beyond compliance, to ensure that every need is catered for. For example, providing natural ventilation and daylight throughout the development to improve the quality of experience and create healthy buildings that are efficient by design with minimal operating and maintenance costs.