|
The efforts of two teams of experts, one from developer Great Homes Limited and the other from architect Lee Evans Partnership LLP, have helped secure a prestigious award for Windsor Court in Singleton, Ashford, Kent.
The development of 46 stylish retirement apartments with state-of-the-art safety and security features was awarded Best Retirement Development in Kent (****) in the Daily Mail UK Property Awards 2007. It is the second time Great Homes has won a Daily Mail award, and for consecutive developments. The first was for its Sandringham Court project in Hadleigh, Essex.
Key to the success of winning the awards was the conceptual design of each development. Windsor Court, a gated complex of one and two bedroomed apartments for buyers of 55 years and over, is built on a greenfield site on the edge of Singleton. Because of its size the development is a highly prominent feature of the semi-rural landscape and, as such, needed the expert planning skills of Great Homes Limited and the Lee Evans Partnership LLP to ensure its building mass did not overwhelm the surroundings.
The three-storey building is simple in form. Two accommodation wings radiate out from a distinctive central ‘hub’ which houses the main entrance and reception area. The second floor of the development is concealed within the roof, which in turn is broken down by a series of traditional lead-lined dormer windows, hips and barn-end features. To reduce the impact of the roofline a central core was introduced which is punctuated with large lantern lights at regular intervals to flood light into the second floor corridor below.
The mass of the timber-framed building was also designed to be diminished by the considered use of brick and weatherboard cladding, a brick feature plinth at ground floor level and juliet balconies at first and second floor level.
Inside, the main entrance houses a striking hardwood feature staircase and a lift to the first and second floors. At the end of the west wing, a spacious terracotta and honey-themed residents’ lounge opens into a conservatory surrounded by a raised terrace orientated to take full advantage of south facing gardens. Sensitively planned around existing trees, the gardens feature a reed pond which is used as a balancing pool for rainwater and thereby providing natural drainage for the development.
The Daily Mail UK Property Awards 2007 had a select team of judges. Chairman of the judges was Eric Pickles MP, Shadow Secretary of State, along with Imtiaz Farookhi, chief executive of the National House Building Council; Peter Bolton King, chief executive of the National Association of Estate Agents; and Phil Spencer, property expert and presenter of Channel 4’s Location and Relocation television programmes.
The judging for the Best Retirement Development in Kent category was broken down into five sections, each of which attracted a number of points. The winners were those that achieved the highest number of points overall.
The sections looked at the location of the development and how well it met buyers’ needs, the quality of finish, materials used, the use of space, energy efficiency and how well the project was marketed, along with the provision of facilities for a retired resident base such as its interior designed residents’ lounge and conservatory, its landscaped gardens, security features that include a CCTV entryphone system, duty manager and its 24-hour emergency careline support.
Importantly the judges also looked at the development’s architectural style.
Ashford has a wealth of Medieval, Tudor and Jacobean buildings and is close to some of the prettiest villages in Kent. The heritage of this rich local vernacular is echoed in the building’s form and in its use of soft red and golden bricks which contrast with traditional white weatherboarding. The result, concluded the judges, is a successful contemporary building which harmonises well with its surrounding.
For further information on Windsor Court and the Daily Mail UK Property Award win for Great Homes Limited contact the company on 01375 484420 or visit its website at www.greathomes.co.uk. For information on the Lee Evans Partnership LLP contact the practice on 01227 784444 or visit its website at www.lee-evans.co.uk. |
