Best retirement housing design for Global Awards shortlisted
LOS ANGELES: The shortlist for the best retirement housing design has been declared.
Over 250 designs have been considered by the awards secretariat. One of the finalists in this category is shown above.
Retirement living is taken to the next level at Riverstone. The company’s flagship offering sits in the heart of London – with one property in Kensington and now, the latest, in Fulham – and its design-led approach ensures that its 65-plus community is left wanting for nothing. The range of public and private spaces feel more akin to a luxury hotel than a conventional development for its residents’ age group.
Riverstone Fulham, like its business model elsewhere, combines high-end, design-led private apartments with a range of opulent amenities – spanning a selection of restaurants, cafés, a library, and wellness and health spaces. At the same time, a vibrant programme of cultural activities, such as talks, workshops and screenings, ensures the Riverstone community is fully in tune with London’s creative goings-on.
Everything happens within a sequence of architectural spaces that balance domestic warmth and the feel of an exclusive members’ club – everything is topped by lush gardens and landscaping connecting the residents to the river nearby, which is a key feature in the development, present through extensive views and physical connections throughout the complex. There are one-, two-, or three-bedroom units available, and each has outdoor areas in the form of a balcony or terrace.
Marylebone interior architecture practice Bowler James Brindley is behind the communal areas, bringing together tactile surfaces with customised features that underline accessibility and ease of use – yet all wrapped seamlessly in the overall design, invisibly ever-present. ‘[We] took inspiration from the area’s atmosphere of relaxed domesticity – including the human scale of Fulham’s rows of attractive period houses and the village atmosphere, Fulham’s reputation of having a bohemian attitude and its “arty” heritage,’ the team write.
Rather than putting an emphasis on ‘retirement’ as such, the Riverstone spaces celebrate leisure time and encourage the residents to enjoy the finest in life, remaining engaged daily with what they love. At the same time, the development focuses on creating homes of the right size for its market, as well as providing a five-star, stress-free experience.
The show apartments are created by interior design and architecture specialist Honky. The team writes: ‘Future-proofing is key – all spaces at Riverstone have been built to the Lifetime Homes Standard; the apartments feature wider door frames and subtle alarms (a brass button near the floor, rather than a red pull cord). They are accessible, adaptable and can be easily modified to suit changing requirements.’
It goes to show the level of care and adaptability in each property, ensuring all spaces feel timeless, yet personalised – a home for now and the future.
The Global Award winner will be announced in November in London. (Globals)
