Hempstead, Holt

A high quality 66 bed contemporary care home for Kingsley Healthcare designed as a series of simple flat roofed rectangular blocks, articulated to maximise the potential of the site. The blocks are predominantly in a clay brick with key elements, such as the main entrance, café and main day spaces given prominence with higher rectilinear elements in stone and glass. These are complemented by stepped terraces with flush glass balustrading, and bronze cladding to floating flat roofed elements. Living green walled elements at lower levels serve to soften the composition. The intention is to use simple brick building blocks, finished with quality materials, as a back drop to important elements, adding simple elegance to the composition.

Key visual elements are treated in the following ways, for aesthetic and functional reasons:

• The main entrance façade comprises a slender stone clad lattice with large glass areas recessed to provide visual depth, and an
  element of solar shading. The entrance is positioned in direct view on entering the site, and the roundabout provides a simple and elegant way to be dropped off. This approach provides a simple inviting formality to the building, referencing classical design principles.
• The rear of the café is treated in the same way.
• Lower visually prominent elements, as at the external corners of the main entrance block, soften the strong rectilinear lines with softer
  living green walls. These help to visually anchor the building into the landscape.