Page 9 - PIC Magazine-Issue-27-Autumn-Winter

Taking Accessible
Design Outside
Fin loves being outdoors, but
his need for protection from
direct sunlight meant outdoor
access required more than a
level patio. The wrap-around
covered terrace became a
defining element, designed to
feel integral to the farmhouse
rather than an accessibility
feature. It provides a natural
transition between inside and
out, allowing Fin to move
directly from his bedroom
into a protected outdoor
space, while giving the family
somewhere to gather.
Different textures beneath his
chair turn the garden paths
into a sensory experience,
while accessible routes,
layered planting, native trees
and hedging complete the
landscape. Accessibility should
not stop at the back door.
Character Without Compromise
The other challenge was preserving the
farmhouse’s character while creating
substantial new accommodation.
Rather than imitate the existing house, we
wanted the extension to sit comfortably
alongside it. The farmhouse retains
its slate roof, while the extension uses
anthracite standing-seam metal roofing
for an agricultural character. White scraped
render, warm stone and coopered-oak-
effect cladding add texture, with anthracite
aluminium windows and rooflights bringing
the palette together.
I love how these materials work together.
The standing-seam roof gives the extension
a simple farm-building quality, while the
stone and timber-effect cladding soften
it. It feels contemporary without being
detached from the original homestead.
Inside, the vaulted corridor with rooflights
is a favourite element. With generous
circulation widths essential, a corridor
could easily become purely functional.
Instead, daylight is drawn deep into the
plan, making movement through the
house part of the architectural experience.
The Strength of a Mixed Team
Ridgeview reinforced how important
collaboration is on complex accessible
projects. Alongside the family, occupational
therapist, case manager and carers, the
team included planning, structural, M&E,
ecological and drainage specialists, as well
as a Building Regulations officer.
Each brought a different perspective, but
every technical decision ultimately had to
serve the people living in the house.
Planning was particularly challenging. We
explored several routes, including a new-
build scheme, before working with planners
to find a solution that respected the existing
homestead while providing the space and
flexibility the family needed.
Designing for What Comes Next
The family wanted Ridgeview to meet Fin’s
needs today while remaining adaptable for
the future.
That meant considering how his care might
change, how equipment could evolve and
how facilities such as hydrotherapy could
potentially be accommodated. Where
possible, infrastructure and services were
considered from the outset to minimise
disruption later.
Future-proofing also meant controlling
running costs. We adopted a fabric-first
approach, looking at how the building
itself could reduce energy demand before
adding technology. Solar panels and other
sustainable measures were explored to help
keep Fin’s future bills as low as possible.
For me, that is part of accessible
architecture too. A home that is
unnecessarily expensive to run for
decades is not doing everything it
could for the person who lives there.
Future-proofing is about giving the
home enough flexibility, resilience and
efficiency to change with Fin over time.
A Home
Built Around Life
What I am proudest of is the difference
Ridgeview will make to Fin and his
family. I love the material palette,
vaulted corridor and rooflights, but they
matter because of what they enable.
Fin will be able to move from his
bedroom into a sheltered outdoor
space, enjoy a sensory room, have
physiotherapy and remain connected
to family life. He can join everyone
around the kitchen island, while care
can happen safely without taking over
the home.
That is what accessible architecture
means to me: creating spaces that
genuinely respond to people’s needs
while still reflecting who they are.
Ridgeview has reminded me that
successful accessible architecture is
measured by how naturally everyday
life can unfold within it. Can Fin enjoy
a summer afternoon outside, a light
show with his family, or birthdays and
Sunday afternoons that feel wonderfully
ordinary?
If the answer is yes, then the architecture
is doing its job. Because ultimately, we
are not designing around disability.
We Are Designing Around Life.
Ridgeview has now commenced on
site so please follow us @arkhi.care
on LinkedIn, Youtube and Instagram.
Arkhi Care provides independent Part
35 Accommodation Reports, property
searches and accessible architectural
design for personal injury and clinical
negligence claims.
Empowering lives through architecture
e. hello@arkhicare.co.uk
t. 01625 925410
www.arkhicare.co.uk
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