"Described as a provision of pure delight, Appleby Blue Almshouse, a social housing complex for older people has been named this year's winner of the RIBA Stirling prize. With a vibe that has more in common with an Alpine spa hotel than the poky rooms and grim corridors usually associated with housing for elderly people, the building by architects Witherford Watson Mann reinvents the almshouse for the modern era as a place of care, shelter and social connection."
"The client, United St Saviour's, a charity based in Southwark, London, is also a grant-making trust, supporting refugee groups and youth centres, as well as cultural organisations. The aim is that these will make use of the building's communal spaces, so it feels like an integral part of local life, rather than some kind of secluded retirement enclave."
Appleby Blue Almshouse, designed by Witherford Watson Mann, won the RIBA Stirling prize for transforming the almshouse into modern social housing. The scheme provides 57 bright, spacious flats for single people and couples over 65 who meet the charity's financial-need and local-residency criteria. Flats are arranged around a central courtyard planted with ginkgo trees and water features to foster social interaction. United St Saviour's commissioned the project and intends the building's communal rooms to host refugee groups, youth centres and cultural organisations, integrating residents with the wider community.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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