Working with Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust
Water Meadow View is an innovative and landmark £32m residential facility designed specifically for people with Learning Disabilities.
Client
Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust
Location
Preston, Lancashire
Value
£32,000,000
Gross internal floor area
2,706m2
THE PROJECT
Our client successfully applied for central funding from NHS England as part of their national drive to create appropriate, progressive and bespoke environments supporting service users with Learning Disabilities. It pioneers new nursing approaches to LD, is part of a brand-new service for the region, and is designed alongside Experts by Experience.
OUR APPROACH
Sensory design is central to our approach, guided by the client’s request for unique, human-focused spaces for service users with LD. We prioritise flexibility and choice, recognising the uniqueness of these individuals. Drawing inspiration from various sources, including Japanese gardens, SEN schools, and Cancer centres, our design incorporates sensory triggers like light, sound, touch, and temperature. We intentionally create an ‘Architecturally ambiguous’ design to avoid institutional associations often seen in healthcare buildings. We also employ an agricultural chic aesthetic to seamlessly blend with the natural surroundings of rich woodland and farmland, ensuring a familiar and approachable feel to the building.
WHAT WE DID
The new building offers 14 adaptable living spaces designed with sensory considerations for LD needs. It includes therapy spaces, a gym, a health hub, a social café, and innovative OT and life skills areas. Situated within existing tree belts, it maximises countryside views. The landscape design promotes wellness with features like a walled garden, central courtyard, and viewing terrace, incorporating green and blue technologies. The design aligns with BREEAM excellence and Net Zero Carbon standards, including sustainable technologies like solar panels, low temp ASHP for heating, as well as GHSP and ground coupled heat exchangers.
THE IMPACT
The new building will mark a huge shift and elevation of inpatient services for LD service users in Lancashire. Currently in inappropriate and not fit for purpose settings, sometimes well out of area, Water Meadow View will be a flagship for the service giving staff and service users a sense of hope, refuge and recovery in the heart of their community. The scheme is the first part of the Trust’s long term £200M investment in its building stock over the next 10 years and illustrates its aspiration for innovation, quality and excellence.
