DesignBuyBuild_16_2015
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Hargood Close /<br />
Proctor and Matthews<br />
Hargood Close is a supported<br />
housing development in<br />
Colchester. A contemporary<br />
interpretation of traditional almshouses,<br />
the scheme has transformed provision<br />
for homeless people in and around<br />
Colchester.<br />
The Brief<br />
Hargood Close replaces an emergency<br />
hostel on the site where accommodation<br />
was arranged haphazardly across a series<br />
of dated buildings and prefabricated<br />
units that were difficult to maintain.<br />
Facilities were poor, and the site was an<br />
increasingly unpleasant environment.<br />
The design team and clients (Family<br />
Mosaic in partnership with Colchester<br />
Borough Council) therefore seized the<br />
opportunity to provide high quality<br />
modern accommodation and services,<br />
carefully designed around the needs of<br />
residents and staff in a domestic, rather<br />
than institutional environment.<br />
A key objective was to offer a more<br />
appropriate alternative to emergency<br />
bed and breakfast accommodation<br />
for individuals and families, and a<br />
supportive environment that would give<br />
residents dignity, hope and a place where<br />
they could begin to put their lives back<br />
on track.<br />
Flexibility was central to the brief.<br />
Because of its nature, many residents<br />
arrive at very short notice and stay for<br />
a relatively short period of time while<br />
more permanent accommodation can<br />
be arranged for them. A flexible mix<br />
of different sized housing units was<br />
therefore needed to enable staff to<br />
respond appropriately to the regular<br />
churn and changing needs of tenants.<br />
A range communal areas and space for<br />
onsite and visiting staff was also needed.<br />
Proctor and Matthews were selected<br />
to develop proposals for the site<br />
following a design competition. Initial<br />
design workshops were held with<br />
representatives from the existing hostel<br />
management and experienced staff<br />
members from comparable facilities.<br />
The design proposals were further<br />
developed and presented to existing<br />
residents. The scheme was well received<br />
and suggestions from residents and<br />
staff regarding buggy and cycle storage,<br />
drying areas, level access showers and<br />
landscaping were incorporated into the<br />
design.<br />
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