The project won the ‘Best Design through Innovation’ and the ‘Best Residential Project’ at the RICS NW 2014 Award Ceremony. Director at John McCall Architects, Colin Usher, said: “Having worked on the design of buildings for people with special needs for over 35 years, it is very pleasing to have this fascinating project recognised as being of particular worth.”
Client: Great Place Housing Group
Value: £1.6 million
Completed: 2012
Location: Levenshulme, Manchester
Autism is a lifelong developmental disability and is sometimes referred to as an autism spectrum disorder, or an ASD. There are 3 elements of accommodation in the project to deal with the needs of the various user groups.
Shared House: Designed to support young people leaving home or residential school who can manage small scale communal living.
Apartment Block 1: This accommodation is also accessed through the main entrance and foyer and is a protected environment specifically designed to suit the needs of 5 autistic adults who have high dependency and are likely to live in the unit for significant lengths of time.
Apartment Block 2: This block of units has been designed to allow for a monitored environment for young autistic adults becoming able to live less dependent lives.
We designed the apartments so that each block is visually split down into component parts, therefore ensuring that it is possible for the residents to identify their own homes. Care was taken at every stage to ensure that the client group was considered and their needs catered for.
