Saunders Boston Architects has been named as a Regional Finalist at the LABC Building Excellence Awards in the Best Social or Affordable Housing category, for its design of Reynolds Court, a new build 42-apartment sheltered housing project in Newport, Essex. The awards recognise and celebrate a variety of excellent buildings, outstanding companies, partnerships, and individuals that are leading the field in building design.
Reynolds Court was designed to not only provide a safe and secure environment for living, but also to create a sense of community and pride of place for the residents that live there. The design features that enable this include: communal lounges, a garden room, and sensory garden, among many more. Alongside the shared features, Reynolds Court has also been designed with a focus on sustainability; through the use of sedum roofs that encourage biodiversity and improve drainage and thermal qualities, allowing for reduced energy use.
Darren Heffer, Director at Saunders Boston Architects, said:
“At Saunders Boston Architects, we understand the importance of going one step further in order to create a sense of wellbeing and community – especially for sheltered housing. Designing sustainably wherever possible is also a big focus for us, and we consider it just another element of ensuring we go one step further for the people we are designing for. It’s fantastic to be recognised for this ethos in our work, and we hope that it can contribute to setting a standard of excellent building design in the industry.”
Saunders Boston Architects was recently awarded for the same scheme at the East of England Elderly Accommodation Council (EAC) National Housing for Older People Awards 2019, at which it received bronze in the 37- 43 units category.