Hortsley, Seaford

Loneliness and social isolation are recognised as huge issues facing older people. This project celebrates chance meetings with neighbours and moments of informal social interaction, to create a rich and vibrant retirement living development that suggests how innovative design can nurture a sense of community and belonging.

Each home is dual aspect, overlooking the street to the north, and to the south a landscaped courtyard garden.

Semi-private terraces within the wintergallery are defined by double-height voids at regular intervals. This arrangement increases natural light penetration and creates clear thresholds which provide a sense of ownership and encourages regular, meaningful use. Rather than two immediate neighbours, each resident has six: adjacent terraces are visible on the floors above and below.

Circulation spaces, often seen as an inconvenient cost liability, is transformed into shared semi-private reception rooms and assets for the community. Social spaces and gardens become more integrated into daily life, encouraging residents to inhabit the spaces outside their private domains. By encouraging chance meetings between neighbours, cohesive communities can be forged, encouraging inter-dependence and a sense of security, both highly valued by older people. This incidental social interaction happens informally, every day.